the stables. With a puckered brow
he studied his own name scrawled across the cheque; then, with a sense
of something like duplicity, he hurriedly pushed it under his plate as
he heard the hall door close, and footsteps sound across the hall. A
moment later Asshlin, followed by his two daughters, entered the room.

All three greeted him in turn; then Asshlin crossed to the fire and
proceeded to stir it to a blaze, while Nance and Clodagh passed to
their appointed places.

Both girls looked pleasantly in keeping with the fresh morning--their
rich, youthful colouring having nothing to fear from the searching
light. Nance was dressed in a very clean blue cotton frock that
accentuated the colour of her eyes; but Clodagh was again attired in
the old-fashioned riding-habit, though this time the boy's cap was
absent, and the sunshine caught reflections in her light brown hair.

"I hope you don't mind my being dressed like this," she said, as she
took her seat. "I always have a ride in the mornings, and I generally
tidy up for breakfast; but I'm riding a race at ten with Larry--my
cousin, you know--so 'twouldn't be worth while to change to-day."

She spoke quite naturally, encountering Milbanke's eyes with no
suggestion of embarrassment for last night's adventure.

He met her glance for an instant; then his own wandered guiltily to the
corner of the cheque protruding from under his plate.

"Not at all!" he said hurriedly--"not at all! I hope I may be permitted
to see the race."

Clodagh smiled.

"Of course--if you like," she said. "But it won't be much to look at."
She added this with a quick glance that ineffectually attempted to
gauge the guest's tastes and powers of appreciation.

"'Twill be grand!" murmured Nance softly. "And I know who's going to
win."

"Nonsense!" said Clodagh. "I won in the practice last night, but the
strand was wet, and the cob is only sure on hard ground."

But nevertheless she flushed and threw a quick look of appreciation and
affection at her loyal little partisan.

"What are you two chattering about?" said Asshlin, standing up from the
fire and straightening his shoulders.

"Is that your notion of hospitality? To keep a stranger waiting for his
breakfast? Faith, we knew better in the old days--eh, James?"

He laughed, and passed round the table.

Clodagh presided at the old-fashioned silver urn; and either her
confidences of the night before or the prospect of her coming contest