"We had a long chat, and I gathered, from all she said and left unsaid,that Jack, for some foolish reason, will not ask her to marry him."
"Foolish reason, asthore?" he interrupted.
"Oh, I know you consider it a remarkable fine reason, but I tell you,'tis rank cruelty to that poor child. As if she cared about highwaymen!"
"'Twas not so much that, I take it, as--"
"Yes, but he could tell her he was innocent--oh, Miles, do not look soprovoking! Of course he could! I vow if you had treated me so, I wouldnever have let you go until you had truly repented! I am of a mind tospeak to Jack."
"'Twould be an entertaining sight, but ye'll kindly have a care how youtouch him, my lady."
"He does not understand. I _know_ she would be proud to marry him--"
"And ye'd think it a fine thing in Jack to ask her, the way things arewith him at present?"
"I--oh, I don't know!"
"No, me love. Jack is right: he must first clear his name."
"Then, gracious goodness me, why does he not?" cried Molly, exasperated.
This time it was O'Hara's turn to look superior.
"Well, alanna, that's a question ye cannot hope to understand--becauseye are but a woman."
Lady O'Hara ignored the challenge.
"But what is to be done?"
"Nought. He will have to work it out himself. He bound me to secrecysome time ago, or I would be tempted to speak to Richard."
"I quite _hate_ Richard!" she cried. "He must be a selfish, unkindperson. And now Jack swears he must go away almost at once--and, oh! youshould have seen Diana's face of despair when I mentioned that he wasgoing abroad again. Miles, we must keep him here as long as ever we can!Oh, dear! 'tis all very worrying."
She broke off as O'Hara pressed her hand warningly. My lord was comingacross the lawn towards them.
"I am in dire disgrace," he said. "I was left with your ferocious baby,Molly, and to quiet him, I gave him a string of beads that you had lefton the table."
"My precious Indian wooden beads!"
"Yes--I believe so. Anyway, the paint came off, and when Jane returned,David looked as though he had some horrible disease. She was mostannoyed about it." He sat down in Molly's lately vacated chair, andcarefully wiped a daub of green from his forefinger.
Molly laughed.
"Poor Jane! She will have such a task to clean him. But you've arrivedmost opportunely. We were talking of you."
O'Hara groaned inwardly, and tried to frown her down.
"You were? I am flattered! May I ask what you were saying?"
"Why, that we do not want you to go back to France."
O'Hara breathed again.
"That is very kind of you, my lady. I regret the necessity myself."
"Are you sure it is necessary? You might just as well live in a niceplace near here, with a dear old woman to keep house for you--and--andJim--and--lots of pleasant things."
&nb