inner." This was the beginning of Edith's scheme. "Of course it's a
bore; all things are bores. This about the flood is the most terrible
bore I ever knew. But I'm not going to let Flory go to the devil
without making an effort to save him. It would be going to the devil,
if he were left alone in his present position."

"Papa will see that we don't eat anything."

"Of course he must be told. There never ought to be any secrets in
anything. Of course he'll grow used to it, and won't expect us to sit
there always and eat nothing. He thinks he's right, and perhaps he
is. Flory will feel the weight of his displeasure; and if we talk to
him we may persuade him."

This state of things at Morony Castle was allowed to go on with few
other words said upon the subject. The father became more and more
gloomy, as the floods held their own upon the broad meadows. Pat
Carroll had been before the magistrates at Headford, and had been
discharged, as all evidence was lacking to connect him with the
occurrence. Further effort none was made, and Pat Carroll went on in
his course, swearing that not a shilling of rent should be paid by
him in next March. "The floods had done him a great injury," he said
laughingly among his companions, "so that it was unreasonable to
expect that he should pay." It was true he had owed a half-year's
rent last November; but then it had become customary with Mr. Jones's
tenants to be allowed the indulgence of six months. No more at any
rate would be said about rent till March should come.

And now, superinduced upon this cause of misery, had come the tidings
which had been spread everywhere through the county in regard to the
Galway hunt. Tom Daly had gone on regularly with his meets, and had
not indeed been stopped everywhere. His heart had been gladdened by
a wonderful run which he had had from Carnlough. The people had not
interfered there, and the day had been altogether propitious. Tom had
for the moment been in high good humour; but the interruption had
come again, and had been so repeated as to make him feel that his
occupation was in truth gone. The gentry of the county had then held
a meeting at Ballinasloe, and had decided that the hounds should be
withdrawn for the remainder of the season. No one who has not ridden
with the hounds regularly can understand the effect of such an order.
There was no old woman with a turkey in her possession who did not
feel herself thereby entitled to destroy the f