t, still he was
quite at home at it.

As might be supposed, Lord Ballindine did not fare well among the
three. He played with each of them, one after the other, and lost with
them all. Blake, to do him justice, did not wish to see his friend's
money go into the little member's pocket, and, once or twice, proposed
giving up; but Frank did not second the proposal, and Morris was
inveterate. The consequence was that, before the table was broken up,
Lord Ballindine had lost a sum of money which he could very ill spare,
and went to bed in a very unenviable state of mind, in spite of the
brilliant prospects on which his friends congratulated him.

XVI. BRIEN BORU

The next morning, at breakfast, when Frank was alone with Blake, he
explained to him how matters really stood at Grey Abbey. He told him
how impossible he had found it to insist on seeing Miss Wyndham so soon
after her brother's death, and how disgustingly disagreeable, stiff and
repulsive the earl had been; and, by degrees, they got to talk of other
things, and among them, Frank's present pecuniary miseries.

"There can be no doubt, I suppose," said Dot, when Frank had consoled
himself by anathematising the earl for ten minutes, "as to the fact of
Miss Wyndham's inheriting her brother's fortune?"

"Faith, I don't know; I never thought about her fortune if you'll
believe me. I never even remembered that her brother's death would in
any way affect her in the way of money, until after I left Grey Abbey."

"Oh, I can believe you capable of anything in the way of imprudence."

"Ah, but, Dot, to think of that pompous fool--who sits and caws in
that dingy book-room of his, with as much wise self-confidence as an
antiquated raven--to think of him insinuating that I had come there
looking for Harry Wyndham's money; when, as you know, I was as ignorant
of the poor fellow's death as Lord Cashel was himself a week ago.
Insolent blackguard! I would never, willingly, speak another word to
him, or put my foot inside that infernal door of his, if it were to get
ten times all Harry Wyndham's fortune."

"Then, if I understand you, you now mean to relinquish your claims to
Miss Wyndham's hand."

"No; I don't believe she ever sent the message her uncle gave me. I
don't see why I'm to give her up, just because she's got this money."

"Nor I, Frank, to tell the truth; especially considering how badly you
want it yourself. But I don't think quarrelling with the uncle is