therwise by the fact that she had
long since lost touch with the amount of her balance at the bank.

3. An expiatory and age-long sojourn of three weeks with relatives at an
Essex vicarage, mitigated only by persistent bicycling with her uncle's
curate. The result, as might have been predicted by any one acquainted
with Miss Fitzroy, was that the curate's affections were diverted from
the bourne long appointed for them, namely, the eldest daughter of the
house, and that Fanny departed in blackest disgrace, with the single
consolation of knowing that she would never be asked to the vicarage
again.

Finally she returned, third-class, to her home in Ireland, with nothing
to show for the expedition except a new and very smart habit, and a
vague assurance that Captain Carteret would give her a mount now and
then with Freddy Alexander's hounds. Captain Carteret was to be on
detachment at Enniscar.

PART II

Mr. William Fennessy, lately returned from America, at present publican
in Enniscar and proprietor of a small farm on its outskirts, had taken a
grey mare to the forge.

It was now November, and the mare had been out at grass for nearly three
months, somewhat to the detriment of her figure, but very much to her
general advantage. Even in the south-west of Ireland it is not usual to
keep horses out quite so late in the year, but Mr. Fennessy, having
begun his varied career as a travelling tinker, was not the man to be
bound by convention. He had provided the mare with the society of a
donkey and two sheep, and with the shelter of a filthy and ruinous
cowshed. Taking into consideration the fact that he had only paid seven
pounds ten shillings for her, he thought this accommodation was as much
as she was entitled to.

She was now drooping and dozing in a dark corner of the forge, waiting
her turn to be shod, while the broken spring of a car was being patched,
as shaggy and as dirty a creature as had ever stood there.

"Where did you get that one?" inquired the owner of the car of Mr.
Fennessy, in the course of much lengthy conversation.

"I got her from a cousin of my own that died down in the County
Limerick," said Mr. Fennessy in his most agreeable manner. "'Twas
himself bred her, and she was near deshtroyed fallin' back on a harra'
with him. It's for postin' I have her."

"She's shlack enough yet," said the carman.

"Ah, wait awhile!" said Mr. Fennessy easily, "in a week's time when I'll
have her clipp