d take charge of his heir, and bring him up to
have better notions of hospitality and good manners than could be
learned at Howth Castle. Then she hurried back to her ship, with the
poor little lordling who seemed too frightened to cry, and hid his face
against her bosom, as though shrinking from the look of her dark, angry
eyes. Immediately she ordered all sails to be set, and sped away
toward Connaught. The nurse ran up to the castle with the news, but as
she could not be admitted till the Earl had dined and drunk his punch,
so much time was lost that, before his galley could be manned and sent
on, Lady Grace's sails were already glimmering down the horizon, and
the pursuit was hopeless.

Tristram St. Lawrence, the little lord, was a handsome child, between
two and three years old, with a look of brave, yet quiet dignity in his
face, which roused some kindly feeling in the sternest mariners and
warriors, on board the piratical ship, and even touched the heart of
the Lady Grace herself--that unsuspected womanly heart, which she had
kept sternly pressed down so many years under her breastplate of steel.

When she first went on board, she gave the boy to one of her women,
telling her to tend him and give him food and playthings. But when
they had been at sea some time, the woman came to her mistress, and
said that the child would neither eat, nor play; that he gave no heed
to any one, but stood apart, sullen and silent, looking back over the
sea toward Howth. Then Grace, whose quick anger had cooled down in the
fresh evening breeze, went to him, laid her hand on his shoulder and
spoke his name. He did not start, or answer, but kept his sad, wistful
eyes fixed on the distant towers of his father's castle. So she stood
over him, watching, and so he stood gazing, till the ship rounded a
point which hid the castle from sight. Then, for the first time, the
child burst into tears; but, flinging himself on the deck, he covered
his face with his hands, as though to conceal his crying, and seemed to
try to check the sobs which shook his little breast. So much proud and
delicate feeling in one so young--a mere baby--appealed strongly to the
Lady Grace. She felt her heart soften and yearn over the noble child,
in his grief and loneliness. She knelt at his side and slid her hand
under his head, and speaking his name more tenderly than before, she
told him not to be afraid, not to grieve any more, and he should go
home so