heir
enemy, the Ladies Cullen consented to join the party, and they brought
with them one of the Honourable Miss Gores. The Duffys and Brennans
numbered their full strength, including even the famous Bertha, who was
staying with her sisters on a visit. The Goulds excused themselves on
account of the distance and the disturbed state of the country. Mrs.
Barton found, therefore, much difficulty in maintaining the noted
characteristic of her parties. Sir Richard and Sir Charles had agreed to
come; Mr. Adair, Mr. Ryan, and Mr. Lynch were also present. They drove
up on outside cars, and were all attended by a bodyguard of policemen.

And very soon everybody fell to babbling of the history of the Castle,
which nobody knew: Ireland has had few chroniclers. Lord Dungory pointed
out that in the seventeenth century people lived in Ireland
naked--speaking Latin habitually--without furniture or tapestries or
paintings or baths. The Castle suggested a military movement to Mr.
Barton.

'If things get any worse, we might all retire into this castle. The
ladies will stand on the battlements, and I will undertake to hold the
place for ever against those village ruffians.'

'I do not think there will be any necessity for that,' replied Mr. Adair
sententiously. 'I think that these last terrible outrages have awakened
the Government to a sense of their responsibility. I have reason to
believe that immediate steps will be taken to crush this infamous
conspiracy.'

Lord Dungory interposed with a neat epigram, and Mr. Adair fell to
telling how he would crush the Land League out of existence if the
Government would place him in supreme power for the space of one month.

'That is all I would ask: one month to restore this island to peace and
prosperity. I have always been a Liberal, but I confess that I entirely
fail to understand the action the Government are taking in the present
crisis.'

As Lord Dungory was about to reply that he did not believe that the
peasants could continue to resist the Government indefinitely, the
police-sergeant in charge of the picnic-party approached, his face
overcast.

'We've just received bad news from Dublin, my lord. The worst. Lord
Frederick Cavendish and Mr. Burke were murdered this evening in the
Phoenix Park. It is unfortunately true, sir; I've the telegram with me.'
And he handed the yellow envelope to Lord Dungory, who, after glancing
at it, handed it on to Mr. Adair.

The appearance of the po