ount of cool courage
that no dissimulation could have assumed. As they could, and did indeed
say afterwards, when relating the incident, "We were sitting at the
dessert, chatting away freely about one thing or another, when the
confirmed tidings arrived by telegraph that an organized attack was to
be made against his credit by a run for gold. You should really
have seen him," said Lady Augusta, "to form any idea of the splendid
composure he manifested. The only thing like emotion he exhibited was
a sort of haughty disdain, a proud pity, for men who should have thus
requited the great services he had been rendering to the country."

It is but just to own that he did perform his part well; he acted it,
too, as theatrical critics would say, "chastely;" that is, there was no
rant, no exaggeration,--not a trait too much, not a tint too strong.

"I wish I knew of any way to be of service to you in this emergency,
Dunn," said the Earl, as they returned to the drawing-room; "I'm no
capitalist, nor have I a round sum at my command--"

"My dear Lord," broke in Dunn, with much feeling, "of money I can
command whatever amount I want. Baring, Hope, Rothschild, any of them
would assist me with millions, if I needed them, to-morrow, which
happily, however, I do not. There is still a want which they cannot
supply, but which, I am proud to say, I have no longer to fear. The
kind sympathy of your Lordship and Lady Augusta has laid me under an
obligation--" Here Mr. Dunn's voice faltered; the Earl grasped his hand
with a generous clasp, and Lady Augusta carried her handkerchief to her
eyes as she averted her head.

"What a pack of hypocrites!" cries our reader, in disgust. No, not
so. There was a dash of reality through all this deceit. They _were_
moved,--their own emotions, the tones of their own voices, the workings
of their own natures, _had_ stirred some amount of honest sentiment in
their hearts; how far it was alloyed by less worthy feeling, to what
extent fraud and trickery mingled there, we are not going to tell
you,--perhaps we could not, if we would.

"You mean to go over to Kilkenny, then, to-morrow, Dunn?" asked his
Lordship, after a painful pause.

"Yes, my Lord, my presence is indispensable."

"Will you allow Lady Augusta and myself to accompany you? I believe and
trust that men like myself have not altogether lost the influence they
once used to wield in this country, and I am vain enough to imagine I
may be useful