. But the Colonel remained, and in
durance. And if by any chance the Englishman stumbled on him, released
him and heard his story, and lived to carry it back to Tralee--the
consequences might be such that a cold sweat broke out on the young
man's brow at the thought of them. To add to his alarm, Payton, whose
mind was secretly occupied with the Colonel, sought to evince his
indifference by changing the subject, and in doing so, hit on one
singularly unfortunate.

"A pretty fair piece of water," he said, rising with an affected yawn,
and pointing over the lake with his riding-switch. "The tower at the
head of it--it's grown too dark to see it--is it inhabited?"

The McMurrough started guiltily. "The tower?" he stammered. Could it be
that the man knew all, and was here to expose him? His heart stood
still, then raced.

"The Major'll be meaning the tower on the rock," Asgill said smoothly,
but with a warning look. "Ah, sure, it'll be used at times, Major, for
a prison, you understand."

"Oh!"

"But we'll be better to be moving inside, I'm thinking," he continued.

Payton assented. He was still brooding on his enemy, the Colonel, and
his probable arrival on the morrow. Curse the man, he was thinking. Why
couldn't he keep out of his way?

"Take the Major in, McMurrough," Asgill said, who on his side was on
tenter-hooks lest Flavia and Morty O'Beirne should arrive from the
Tower. "You'll like to get rid of your boots before supper, Major?" he
went on. "Bid Darby send the Major's man to him, McMurrough; or,
better, I'll be going to the stables myself and I'll be telling him!"

As the others went in, Asgill strolled on this pretext towards the
stables. But when they had passed out of sight he turned and walked
along the lake to meet the girl and her companion. As he walked he had
time to think, and to decide how he might best deal with Flavia, and
how much and what he should tell her. When he met them, therefore--by
this time the night was falling--his first question related to their
errand, and to that which an hour before had been the one
pre-occupation of all their minds.

"Well," he said, "he'll not have yielded yet, I am thinking?"

Dark as it was, the girl averted her face to hide the trouble in her
eyes. She shook her head. "No," she said, "he has not."

"I did not count on it," Asgill replied cheerfully. "But time--time and
hunger and patience--devil a doubt he'll give in presently."

She did not answer,