interchanged. Moore took the empty chair near her, opposite Miss
Keeldar. He had placed himself well. His neighbour, screened by the very
closeness of his vicinage from his scrutiny, and sheltered further by
the dusk which deepened each moment, soon regained not merely _seeming_
but _real_ mastery of the feelings which had started into insurrection
at the first announcement of his name.

He addressed his conversation to Miss Keeldar.

"I went to the barracks," he said, "and had an interview with Colonel
Ryde. He approved my plans, and promised the aid I wanted. Indeed, he
offered a more numerous force than I require--half a dozen will suffice.
I don't intend to be swamped by redcoats. They are needed for appearance
rather than anything else. My main reliance is on my own civilians."

"And on their captain," interposed Shirley.

"What, Captain Keeldar?" inquired Moore, slightly smiling, and not
lifting his eyes. The tone of raillery in which he said this was very
respectful and suppressed.

"No," returned Shirley, answering the smile; "Captain Gerard Moore, who
trusts much to the prowess of his own right arm, I believe."

"Furnished with his counting-house ruler," added Moore. Resuming his
usual gravity, he went on: "I received by this evening's post a note
from the Home Secretary in answer to mine. It appears they are uneasy at
the state of matters here in the north; they especially condemn the
supineness and pusillanimity of the mill-owners. They say, as I have
always said, that inaction, under present circumstances, is criminal,
and that cowardice is cruelty, since both can only encourage disorder,
and lead finally to sanguinary outbreaks. There is the note--I brought
it for your perusal; and there is a batch of newspapers, containing
further accounts of proceedings in Nottingham, Manchester, and
elsewhere."

He produced letters and journals, and laid them before Miss Keeldar.
While she perused them he took his tea quietly; but though his tongue
was still, his observant faculties seemed by no means off duty. Mrs.
Pryor, sitting in the background, did not come within the range of his
glance, but the two younger ladies had the full benefit thereof.

Miss Keeldar, placed directly opposite, was seen without effort. She was
the object his eyes, when lifted, naturally met first; and as what
remained of daylight--the gilding of the west--was upon her, her shape
rose in relief from the dark panelling behind. Shirley's