y," broke in Ghyrkins, "my niece was nearest
to you when you fell, and so she came up and did the right thing, like
the brave girl she is." The old fellow helped her to rise as he said
this, and he looked so pleased and proud of her that I was delighted
with him. "And now," he went on, "we must see how much you are hurt--the
deuce of a knock, you know, enough to kill you--and if you are not able
to ride, why, we will carry you home, you know; the devil of a way off
it is, too, confound it all." As he jerked out his sentences he was
feeling the back of Isaacs' head, to ascertain, if he could, how much
harm had been done. All this time the man who had done the mischief was
standing by, looking very penitent, and muttering sentences of apology
as he tried to perform any little office for his victim that came in his
way. Isaacs stretched out his arm, while Ghyrkins was feeling and
twisting his head, and taking the man's hand, held it a moment.

"My dear sir," he said, "I am not in the least hurt, I assure you, and
it was my fault for crossing you at such a moment. Please do not think
anything more about it." He smiled kindly at the young fellow, who
seemed very grateful, and who from that day on would have risked
everything in the world for him. I heard behind me the voice of Kildare,
soliloquising softly.

"Faith," said he, "that fellow is a gentleman if I ever saw one. I am
afraid I should not have let that infernal duffer off so easily.
By-the-bye, Isaacs," he said aloud, coming up to us, "you know you won
the game. Nobody stopped the ball after you hit it, and the saices say
it ran right through the goal. So cheer up; you have got something for
your pains and your tumble." It was quite true; the phlegmatic saices
had watched the ball instead of the falling man. Miss Westonhaugh, who
was really a sensible and self-possessed young woman, and had begun to
be sure that the accident would have no serious results, expressed the
most unbounded delight.

"Thank you, Miss Westonhaugh," said Isaacs; "you have kept your promise;
you have crowned the victor."

"With brandy," I remarked, folding up a scarf which somebody had given
me wherewith to tie a wet compress to the back of his head.

"There is nothing the matter," said Ghyrkins; "no end of a bad bruise,
that's all. He will be all right in the morning, and the skin is only a
little broken."

"Griggs," said Isaacs, who could now stand quite firm again, "hold the
wet hand