as asked to sit down,
and had a cigar offered to him. "Thanks, no; I don't think I'll
smoke. Smoking may have some sort of effect on a fellow's hand.
There's a gentleman in these parts who I should be sorry should owe
his life to any little indulgence of that sort on my behalf."

"You are thinking of the man who fired at you?"

"Well, yes; I am. Not that I shall have any chance at him just
at present. He won't come near me again this visit. The next
that I shall hear from him will be from round some corner in
the neighbourhood of Galway. I think I know every turn in that
blackguard's mind."

"Have you been speaking to Florian about him, Captain Clayton?"

"Not a word."

"Nor has his brother?"

"I think not."

"What am I to do about the poor boy?" said the anxious father.

"Because of his fear about this very man?"

"He is only a boy, you know."

"Of course he is only a boy. You've no right to expect from him the
pluck of a man. When he is as old as his brother he'll have his
brother's nerve. I like to see a man plucky under fire when he is not
used to it. When you've got into the way of it, it means nothing."

"What am I do about Florian? There are four months before the
assizes. He cannot remain in the house for four months."

"What would he be at the end of it?" said the Captain. "That is what
we have to think of."

"Would it alter him?"

"I suppose it would,--if he were here with his sister, talking of
nothing but this wretched man, who seems to haunt him. We have to
remember, Mr. Jones, how long it was before he came forward with his
story."

"I think he will be firm with it now."

"No doubt,--if he had to tell it out in direct evidence. When he is
there in the court telling it, he will not think much of Mr. Lax,
nor even of Pat Carroll, who will be in the dock glaring at him;
nor would he think much of anything but his direct story, while a
friendly barrister is drawing it out of him; but when it comes to his
cross-examination, it will be different. He will want all his pluck
then, and all the simplicity which he can master. You must remember
that a skilful man will have been turned loose on him with all the
ferocity of a bloodhound; a man who will have all the cruelty of Lax,
but will have nothing to fear; a man who will be serving his purpose
all round if he can only dumbfound that poor boy by his words and
his looks. A man, when he has taken up the cause of these ruffians,
learns to sympat