his shoulders.

"We have not much to fear from a poltroon like him; but let the
Provincial Directory of Ulster deal with the matter. Meanwhile we want
to know that Donegal is as ready as other parts. We have some good men
there surely. Order a return of all secretaries and officers in a
month," said he to the clerk.

Then other matters were talked of, including the prospect of a French
landing; and presently the meeting broke up. At the end of it Lord
Edward walked straight up to me.

"Yours is a new face here," said he.

"It is, my lord," said I. "I am a Donegal man who has been abroad for
four years; yet we have had dealings together before now."

"Were you at Hamburg or Basle?" said he.

"Neither; but I had the honour of carrying a letter from your lordship
to a French deputy in '93, as well as another, franked by your lordship,
for a certain Mr Lestrange in Paris."

He looked hard at me.

"You are not John Cassidy?" said he.

Then I told him the story of my adventure in the wood near Morlaix, and
how I delivered the letters of his dead messenger in Paris.

He clapped me on the back.

"You are a good fellow," said he, "and I thank you. Little came of my
letters; but that was no fault of yours. So you are one of us in
Donegal?"

"No, my lord," said I. "I am here on false pretences, though not wholly
of my own accord. I cannot expect you to be troubled with my
explanations, but they are at your service if you require them. If not,
here I am at your mercy."

He looked at me suspiciously for a moment, then he smiled.

"Walk a little way home with me," said he.

So I followed him out, the members present saluting as he passed through
them, and wondering, no doubt, what high official of the society was
this whom the leader of Ireland chose thus to honour.

"Now," said Lord Edward, as we got to the end of the street, "what is
this mystery?"

"Shortly, my lord, I am in love," began I.

He laughed pleasantly at that.

"There we agree entirely," said he.

"I am a servant to his Majesty, and have sworn him allegiance," I
continued.

"His Majesty has more than he deserves."

"I am a sailor, sir, on leave. I arrived only yesterday in Dublin after
four years' absence. To-morrow (unless you or your society shoot me
through the head) I start northward, hoping to get a glimpse of her I
love. By chance to-day I heard her father's name mentioned in the
street as a man whose life was in peril.