."

"Shall you go to Rotterdam?" said I.

"I?" said he, looking at me in surprise. "I am no man of leisure just
now."

"But report says you have a particular interest in Miss Gorman's
welfare."

"Rumour commits many impertinences," replied he with an angry frown.
"For all that, I am not master of my own movements just now. I am here
to hunt down rebels; and among them, unless I mistake, a brother of
yours holds a prominent place."

I winced.

"At least," said I, "he never had hand either in murder, or pillage, or
meanness to a woman. He is an honest soldier, though, alas! on the
wrong side."

Captain Lestrange laughed.

"It is the fashion of these rebels," said he, "to dignify themselves as
soldiers and claim the honours of war. But when we get hold of them
they will learn that there is a difference between felony and warfare.
Can you not persuade your brother out of it? I hear he is a fine
fellow."

"I have tried," said I, mollified by this compliment; "but it is
useless, and at present he is not to be found."

"That's the best place for him. As to Miss Gorman, I will go over to
Knockowen and see if anything can be done to intercept the Dutchman.
Meanwhile what of you?"

"I go to join my ship."

"Good. We may meet again, Gallagher. Our paths have met strangely
before now. Heaven grant they may bring us out into fair weather at
last."

I left him on the whole in good cheer. There was a blunt frankness
about him which led me to believe that were I ever to be called upon to
meet Captain Lestrange as an enemy, it would be as an honest and
generous one. His affected indolence had already been disproved by the
service he had rendered to the ladies in Paris. His regrets as to Tim
showed that he was a man in whom the kindlier instincts were not all
wanting. What, however, comforted me most was his tone with regard to
Miss Kit. There was nothing of the lover about the words, and too
little of the actor about the man to lead me to suppose he was deluding
me. Why should he? He was my superior in birth and rank. He had
claims of kinship and property which pointed him out as the natural
squire for the heiress of Kilgorman. The idea of my being a rival had
probably never entered his head; and if it had, would have done so only
to raise a smile of incredulous pity. But that a lover could receive
the news I brought as he did seemed quite impossible. So I went on my
way, if not cheered, at least