nes.

"About Florian?"

"Yes; indeed. When I tell you my story, I think you will understand
that I would tell it to no one but yourself in County Galway. I fear
that Florian saw the men at work upon the flood gates."

"And will he not tell the truth?"

"You must remember that I cannot say that I know anything. The boy
declares that he saw nothing; that he knows nothing. I have no
evidence; but his sisters are sure that it is so. Edith says that he
certainly was present when the gates were removed. She only judges
from his manner and his countenance."

"What made her suspect him?" asked Mr. Blake.

"Only that she saw him when the news was brought to us. Edith is
not ill-natured. She would not be prone to make a story against her
brother."

"If Edith says so, it is so," said Mr. Blake, who among all Edith's
admirers was one of the most ardent.

"I don't quite say that. I only mean to express my conviction that
she intends to get at the truth."

"I'll wager my life upon her," said Mr. Blake. "As to the
other;--well, you know, Jones, that he has turned Roman Catholic."

"That means nothing," said the distressed father. "He is only ten
years old. Of course he's a fool for his pains; but he would not on
that account do such a deed as this."

"I don't know. You must remember that he will be telling everything
to the priests."

"We have two priests about us," said Mr. Jones, "and I would trust
them in anything. There is Father Giles at Headford, and he is as
fair a man as any clergyman of our own could be. You cannot imagine
that he would give such advice to my boy?"

"Not Father Giles certainly," said the other man.

"Then down with us at Ballintubber there is Father Malachi."

"I know him too," said Mr. Blake. "He would not interfere with a boy
like Florian. Is there no one else? What curate lives with Father
Malachi?"

"There is none with him at Ballintubber. One Brosnan lives with
Father Giles."

"That man is a firebrand," said Mr. Blake. "He is a wretched
politician, always preaching up Home Rule."

"But I do not think that even he would teach a boy to deceive his own
father in such a matter as this."

"I am not sure," said Blake. "It is very difficult to get at the
vagaries of mind in such a man as Mr. Brosnan. But what do you intend
to do?"

"I have come to you for advice. But remember this:--in my present
frame of mind, the suspicion that I feel as to poor Florian is ten
times worse to me th