The Red Hand of Ulster

the first time in touch with Conroy's plans

1903. I have lived since then chiefly in Kilmore Castle, a delightfully situated residence built by my grandfather, which suits me very well indeed. I have occupied my time for years back in gathering materials for a history of all the Irish rebellions there have ever been. My daughter Marion used to help me in this work, by filin

I have every reason to believe that they must be quite as objectionable to my guests as they are to me. It is Godfrey who insists on their being held. He holds that I am bound to do some entertaining in order to keep up my position in the county. I am not in the least interested in my position in the county; b

noon depressed and irritated me. Godfrey entered the room suddenly through the window. The fact that he is my heir does not seem to me to ent

lency," he said, "gl

en and never hope to be a Lord Lieutenant or a Colonial Governor. The title is not one which

"Lady Moyne is motoring over. But that's not what I came to say to

w boiler I put in for them, I suppose?" This is

said; "but I'll go down a

tter," I said. "If it isn't that, wh

in the bay," he said, "the Finola. Sh

e always hopes that he may be able in some way to

to go down and leave a card o

"you can go and leave

Godfrey expected me to

e him and his party to your menagerie this afternoo

s mind. As a matter of fact the Moynes and my own family are about the only people of social importance in the locality who ought to be called natives. My other guests are all strangers, officials of one kind or another, stipendiary magistrat

nt on fidgetting with my

finishing luncheon when

have you captured

ower, who's Conroy's secretary, and a horrid bounder called McNe

," I said, "you did not, I

es the commercial side of our local mackerel fishing. Godfrey thinks he would manage this better than Crossan does. Their latest feud was concerned with the service of carts which take the fish from our little harbour to the nearest railway station. Crossan is politically a strong Protestant and an Orangeman of high attainment. Godfrey has no particular religion, and in politics belongs to that old-fashioned school of Conservatives who think that the lower orders ought to be respectful to their betters. Cr

tary of a millionaire was stronger than his dislike of Crossan. He had even, it appeared, invited

ught it would be no harm. By the way, Marion, what are you

know, frequently consults him and values his opinion highly. Unfortunately the

n is an important one. If both Lady Moyne and Conroy's pri

swered me with a cheerful friendliness which showe

d it's a capital fit. That's the advantage of employing really

intelligible kind I should not mind paying them occasionally. But Godfrey has no ostensible vices. I have never heard of his doing anything wild or disreputable. He does not gamble or

e glad if you'd be civil to the Pringles

suggested to me that Godfrey contemplated sending a cheque to Nicholson and Blackett. I have no particular objection to being civil to the Pringles. I have to be civil to some one. I readily promised to get both tea and an ice for Mrs. Pringle; hoping that Godfrey would go away.

to think that Marion meant to marry him. She assures me now that she never intended to; but