Muslin

ed out, handed the lad

es and their thoughts swayed together by the motion of the vehicle, listened to the irritating barking of the cottage-dog. Surlily a peasant, returning from his work, his frieze coat swung over one shoulder, stepped aside. A bare-legged woman, surrounded

a gathering at the b

mpagne ought I to drink at dinner? You know, it is a long time since

on laughe

glasses could do you any harm; but I

akes me down to dinner? Shall I have t

urke. He is a nice little man, but there's not much in him, and he hasn't a penny. His brother is Lord Kilcarney, a confirmed bachelor. Then there will be Mr. Adair; he is very well off. He has at least four thousand a year in the country; but it would seem that

park. Herds of fallow deer moved away, but the broad bluff forms o

y Dungory, mamma?' ask

she were. She behaved very badly. Lord Dungory had to get a se

a modern house, built between two massive I

aid Mrs. Barton to the servant, as he

k has just st

ill make faces at us,

she ascende

left. These attested the sporting tastes of a former generation. The white marble statues of nymphs sleeping in the shadows of t

stateliness of the library, and they marvelled at the richness of the chandeliers and the cu

k hands menacingly with Mrs. Barton. They were dre

ross the room; the black coats gave way, and, as a white rose in a blood-coloured glass, her shoulders rose out of the red tulle. Captain Hibbert twisted his brown-gold moustach

approaching. Lord Dungory and Lady Jane exchanged looks. The former offered his arm to Mrs. Go

miling at the thought that she had checkmated her father, who had ordered that Olive Barton should go down with Captain Hibbert, she took Captain Hibbert's arm, and followed the dinner-party. About the marble stat

ows another Madonna stood on a half-moon, and when Lord Dungory said, 'For what we are going to receive, the Lo

bloomed in a silver vase beneath the light of the red-shaded wax candles. A tree covered with azaleas s

'I do not know how you have such beautif

ng; but then we have

r, roses or azaleas

n corsage, mais les azalées

elled indignant glances at their father, scornful looks at Mrs.

to place on our tables, if the Government do not step in an

ningly at each other, and the mutuality of their

l be able to collect our rents this yea

d no intention of sh

e to pay no more than Griffith's valuation. I do n

ible outrage,' said Captain Hibbert; and, amid a profound silence, he continued: 'I

s happened to him? I knew his

good-looking stare, and, as no nearer relativ

after dinner, when suddenly two sho

slipped through the butler's f

was glad to laugh at the old lady. It was not until Captain Hibbert told that Mr. Macnamara had b

ara had the foinest har

sold him one last yea

on, they farmed large tracts of land. Mr. Ryan was short and thick; Mr. Lynch was taller and larger, and a pair of mutton-chop whiskers made his bloated face look bigger still. On either side of the white tablecloth their dirty hands fumbled at t

the counthry, spendin' their cash on liquor and theatres in London; but what can t

rave; he evidently thought it was based on a superficial notion of political economy. Mr. Burke, a very young man with a tiny red moustache and a curi

see why he should be deprived of his rents. For my part, I like the Gaiety Theatre, and so doe

d him, 'is that there are many in the country who don't deserve much consideration. I am alluding to tho

of James so upset Mr. Lynch that he called back the servant

scuss the rights of property rather than to that of the early Kings of Ireland. If there is to be a returning, why not at once put in a c

lassitude. If Mr. Adair would only cease to explain to her how successfully he had employed concrete in the construction of his farm-buildings! She felt that if he started again on the saw-mill she must faint, and Olive's senses, too, were swimming, but just as she thought she was going off Captain Hibbert looked so admiringly at her that she

s Act does not seem to be able to do that. There's May there who has been talking all the morning of Castle se

n ally himself with such blackguards,' gently insinuate

that the Land League is apparently a legal organizatio

always said, the landlords have brought all their misfortunes upon themselves; they have often behaved disgrac

er know that the herds are being coerced now?

d when the warrant is issued, and I suppose it will be issued sooner or later, for the arrest of Mr. Parnell, I should not be surprised to hear of a general strike being made against rent. The consequences of such an event will be

tchety Mr. Adair leaned forward his large, bald brow, obs

e until 1840. Then the Government took the matter in hand, and treated outrage-mongering as what it is-an act of war; and quartered troops on the inhabitants and stamped the disease out in a few years. Of course I could

not exist in land in Ireland before 1600, and, illustrating his arguments with quotations from Arthur Young, he spoke of the plantation of Ulster, the leases of the

faces about him, Lord Dungory determine

to that question. Ask these young ladies; they will tell you, probably, that it is to h

ord to say anent the hunting prospect, and, when May Gould declared she was going to ride straight and not miss a meet, she completed the conquest of Mr. Scully, and encouraging glances were exchanged between them

by that horrible Land League discussion. All wondered who had introduced the subject, and t

myards in concrete, and his saw-mill, I hear, costs him twenty pounds a month dead loss, and he i

withstanding her thirty-five years, had not enti

e yielded herself entirely to it. Although the dinner-party had been spoiled by Mr. Adair's uncontrollable desire to impart information, she had, nevertheless, noticed that Captain Hibbert had been very much struck with Olive's beauty. She was aware that her daughter was a beautiful girl, but whether men would want to marry her Mrs. Barton did not know. Captain Hibbert's conduct would help her to arrive at a decision. She certainly dreamed of a title for Olive. Lord Kilcarney was, alas! not to be thought of. Ah! if Mr. Burke were only Lord Kilcarney! But he was not. However, Captain Hibbert wou

rnaments on her lap; her feet were tucked under the black-pleated skirt,

ear laughs they were talking of each other's dresses. May had just stood up to show off her skirt. She wa

and when, laughing, with a delicious movement of the arms, she hitched back her bustle, she lost her original air, and looked as might have done the

et's see you!' she cried, cat

et, and May, who was full of good nat

rom what we did at the convent!

with a sudden rememb

Cecilia? I've been thinking of her d

ecilia does not care to come

I not s

room. But you do not know the way; I wi

the folds of the dresses that trailed on the soft carpet. Mr. Ryan, walking with his habitual roll and his hands in his pockets, entered. His tie was under his left ear. Mr. Lynch, haunted by the idea that he had not made himself agreeable to Alice during dinner, sat down beside her. Mr. Scully made a rush for May. Tall, handsome Captain Hibbert,

d hunting prospects of the season. Mr. Adair took no interest in such subjects, and to everyone's relief he remained silent. May and Fred Scully had withdrawn to a corner of

Mr. Lynch left off talking to Alice; the little blonde honourable looked sillier and sillier as his admiration grew upon him. Mrs. Barton, to hide her emotion, engaged in an arde

us something,

ry glad, but I don't think, you know-I am

d to accompany you.

I have heard y

ped his voice to a whisper, and sang of his aching heart, a feeling prevailed that all were guilty of an indiscretion in listening to such an intimate avowal. Then he sang two songs more, equall

ed by women without impropriety. Alice was a healthy-bodied girl; her blood flowed as warm as in her sister. The men about her did not correspond with

leaning over the banisters li

you to come to see me when you lef

dear,' said Alice, kiss

h the way to your room

party? Which of the men

ny of them; and oh, t

d spoke of a little excursion-a walk to the Brennans, who lived t