ur poor
friend, how is he?"

"Able to answer for himself at last, Sir George," said I, grasping his
proffered hand.

"My poor lad! you've had a long bout of it; but you've saved your arm, and
that's well worth the lost time. Well, I've come to bring you good news;
there's been a very sharp cavalry affair, and our fellows have been the
conquerors."

"There again, Power,--listen to that! We are losing everything!"

"Not so, not so, my boy," said Sir George, smiling blandly, but archly.
"There are conquests to be won here, as well as there; and in your present
state, I rather think you better fitted for such as these."

Power's brow grew clouded; he essayed a smile, but it failed, and he rose
and hurried towards the window.

As for me, my confusion must have led to a very erroneous impression of my
real feelings, and I perceived Sir George anxious to turn the channel of
the conversation.

"You see but little of your host, O'Malley," he resumed; "he is ever from
home; but I believe nothing could be kinder than his arrangements for you.
You are aware that he kidnapped you from us? I had sent Forbes over to
bring you to us; your room was prepared, everything in readiness, when he
met your man Mike, setting forth upon a mule, who told him you had just
taken your departure for the villa. We both had our claim upon you and, I
believe, pretty much on the same score. By-the-bye, you have not seen Lucy
since your arrival. I never knew it till yesterday, when I asked if she did
not find you altered."

I blundered out some absurd reply, blushed, corrected myself, and got
confused. Sir George attributing this, doubtless, to my weak state, rose
soon after, and taking Power along with him, remarked as he left the
room,--

"We are too much for him yet, I see that; so we'll leave him quiet some
time longer."

Thanking him in my heart for his true appreciation of my state, I sank back
upon my pillow to think over all I had heard and seen.

"Well, Mister Charles," said Mike as he came forward with a smile, "I
suppose you heard the news? The Fourteenth bate the French down at Merca
there, and took seventy prisoners; but sure it's little good it'll do,
after all."

"And why not, Mike?"

"Musha! isn't Boney coming himself? He's bringing all the Roossians down
with him, and going to destroy us entirely."

"Not at all, man; you mistake. He's nothing to do with Russia, and has
quite enough on his hands at this moment."

"God