"I'll make him more lively presently," whispered the nobleman to his friend. "You'll see the best bit of fun directly you ever saw." 66 Really, I hope and trust you will do nothing rash, Evershorte." "Nothing, on my honour. But you knew he must be got out of the way; he sticks as close to Lola as a leech." "Well, do as you like," returned the other. "I am satisfied with your explanation.' On arriving at the spot where the hounds were they found a large field assembled, for the meet was a favourite one; it was a sure find and a good country. They were chatting to their different friends when two strangers made their appearance, mounted on useful-looking nags; one was a red-bearded and whiskered man, and the other a dark one, and both had a look of indescribable fun in their countenances. At this moment some one on foot went up and spoke a few words to Lord Evershorte, who at once rode towards Blake, who was holding forth to a lot of squireens. "Blake," said his lordship, " a word with you." "Yes, me dear lord." He was proud of me-lording him before his friends. "I say, Blake," said the nobleman, " did you see those two strangers come up?" "Yes, I did; who the devil are they?" "Make the best of your way home, Blake, and shut up the house. They are a couple of bums, come to serve you. I've just been told to warn you. And see; they are gradually coming this way. Get off quietly." Blake turned his horse and moved on; the strangers did likewise. Consandine then put his horse in a gentle trot, as if warming himself; the others did the same. Seeing he was followed, he crashed over a fence and was away. With a wild hurroo the two others followed, and a regular race ensued. The magic word " Bums!" flew from mouth to mouth, and nearly all the field followed to see the sport. Blake went straight ahead for the Castle, taking everything. Murdher, but they're gaining on him!" exclaimed one excited squireen, who was spurring along at a furious rate. "I've no love for Consandine, but thim dd bailiffs shall never take him!" And this sentiment was uttered by most who followed, all shouting and screaming like lunatics. But Consandine was not to be so easily caught, and he gradually faded from the view of those who remained behind. Lola, Lord Evershorte, and Crighton stopped with the houndsor did they attempt to follow and see the sport? "Oh Lord! I shall never forget this!" exclaimed the nobleman, screaming with laughter and wiping the tears from his eyes. "But who are these two bailiffs, Lord Evershorte?" asked Lola. "I hope-oh I do hope they will not catch him!" 66 They are not meant to catch him, Miss Mordant. One is Larry the piper, and the other a friend of his. I hired horses, coats, and beards for them. I never saw such devils to ride in my life!" and he commenced laughing again. "But, Miss Mordant, it was absolutely necessary to get him away, and I think I have succeeded. But see, the field are coming back from one hunt. Now for another." There was but little time to talk over the matter, as the hounds were thrown into the same gorse that they had had such a run from a few weeks ago, on the occasion of Lola taking the "double.” 66 'If we only have another such a burst as we have already had," remarked a gentleman to one of the lady equestrians, "it will be the brightest day I ever had with the hounds. Blake got clear away. There goes the fox, the same old fellow with the white tag." A scream of "Tally-ho! gone away!" brought the hounds rushing out of covert, and they settled steadily down on his line. "Neither Lola, his lordship, nor Crighton seemed so keen as usual; they rode cautiously, and seemed in no hurry to get in the first flight. Still, they took everything as it came. The formidable" double" at length appeared. Men settled their hats firmly on their heads; most of them intended to have a turn at it, for they felt rather ashamed that they had shirked it when Lola and the two Englishmen had jumped it. The other ladies took another line, as usual. "We must not do it to-day," remarked Lord Evershorte, looking at his watch. "Time is up; but we will go on for a couple of hundred yards farther, in fact up to it, and then pull." "Mother o' Moses! I hope Miss Mordant will not try it again," muttered the old huntsman as he scuttled away for the broken place, followed by a lot of others. "Sure ladies never know when they are well off." Many were the falls at it, but some few got over. "Blood and 'ounds! but the English gentlemen and Miss Mordant have shirked the double!" exclaimed a sporting squireen who had taken it in a fly. "I niver thought it of them." But the pace was too good to make many comments. The last they saw of the three was that they were cantering away in another direction. "Now then," said his lordship, directly they got into the highway, come along; there is no time to lose." Lola looked confused, and blushed as he uttered this. "Oh. I hope I am not doing a very foolish thing!" she said, looking Crighton fondly in the face. "No, dearest, no; it is the only plan. No one need be the wiser till we choose to tell them; it will give me the power of protecting you and your poor mother from your brutal stepfather." 66 Well, I suppose it must be so, George," she uttered; and they pushed on at a smart pace. In a quarter of an hour they pulled up before a small church; it was situated in an isolated spot and far away from any house or village. Larry the piper was already there to receive them and hold the horses. "There's not a sowl here, yer honours, except his rivirence; he's just come. Sure I'd like to see yez tied up, for I never was in a Protestant church in my life, and this is the only one in these parts." They quickly entered the little building, and before many minutes were over the Honourable George Crighton and Lola Mordant were made man and wife by especial licence, Lord Evershorte giving away the bride. The "Now, George," he said, "let's be away before a soul sees us. hunt," he added, "will know some day why we shirked the double." Jist one word, yer honour, before yez goes," said Larry to Crighton, as he pocketed the handsome douceur with which that gentleman had presented him. Lord Evershorte and the lady were already mounted and walking quietly away. What is it, Larry? Be quick, there's a good fellow." "Jist this,” replied the man; and he said something to him in a low tone of voice. My God! is it true, Larry? Do you mean it?" "It is true, yer honour, ivery blessed word. I'd swear to it on the book." "Then why did you not tell me before?" Crighton asked. "Becase I wish to have a holt on Consandine. But you may tell him the bums is after him in airnist this time; they will be there this evenin to serve him, and a good back wid em.' "Larry," said the young man sadly, "you surely would do no harm to one who never harmed you? Give me your solemn oath you will never let a soul know of this. You shall never repent it." "Would it be hurting them if I did?" he asked. "Hurting them? It would kill them. Man, have some pity; they have ever been good and kind to you." "Faith they have, yer honour; and as there is a God above me I'll niver breathe a word to mortal about it. God bless yez !" And he walked slowly away; but, suddenly recollecting himself, gave one wild hurroo, and, kicking off his brogue, threw it over his left shoulder, and then stood motionless, looking after them as they rode away at a rapid pace. Crighton looked anxious and ill at ease as he joined the others. "Well, old married man," asked the nobleman, "what has kept you ?" "I was just having a few parting words with Larry and begging him to be silent. Now Lola, my darling, let us get along." On arriving at the Castle they found Consandine Blake anxiously awaiting them in a state of wild excitement in the drawing-room. Mrs. Blake also wore more than a satisfied air. "You are home sooner, Lola, than I expected you," she said. "Come here, dearest, I have some good news for you." "What is it, mamma ?" she anxiously asked. 66 What is it?" exclaimed her stepfather. Why, a letter has come to me dear wife. Her old aunt is dead, and left you the three thousand a year-not a stiver to Bessie; but it's all the same, me darling." The girl turned deadly pale as he said this, but did not utter a word. As for Crighton, he noiselessly left the room. "Well, I congratulate you on your good luck, Mrs.-no, I mean Miss-Mordant," said Lord Evershorte, correcting himself in time; "I congratulate you, with all my heart." "You will both dine with us to-day, will you not?" asked Consandine. "Divil a bailiff do I care for now." He quite seemed to forget the money was not his own, and that he had not the slightest claim to it. "We will come, with pleasure. I will answer for Crighton." And he looked significantly at the young lady. The dinner that day passed off more lively than usual. Consandine was in high spirits. "Didn't I do them bailiffs elegant this morning?" he asked. "Grandly," replied the nobleman; "it was the best bit of sport I ever saw." But, seeing his poor wife looked sad and ashamed, he adroitly turned the conversation. "Lola," said her stepfather, as the ladies rose to leave the room, "I'll want a few words with you prisently in my room; be there in ten minutes." "I will," she answered, as she left the room. After he had seen his guests drawn up by the fire, and a bottle of claret between them, Consandine left them, saying he would be back in ten minutes. He found the young girl waiting for him. "Lola, me dear child," he commenced, "you are now a woman of fortune, and can do as you like. We will all go to Dublin for the remainder of the winter-your mother wants change-and in the spring on to London for three months." "But what will you do with Lord Evershorte and Mr. Crighton?" "Oh, hang them! We need not bother ourselves about them now. You're always thinking of that fellow Crighton. I hate him. You shall never marry him. I forbid it." "Indeed, Mr. Blake!" she answered, with more than usual animation. "Suppose I do not choose to consult you? My money is left to me unreservedly, and I may as well tell you I do not intend to consult you on the matter of my marrying." "Well, but Lola, me dear child," he said, astonished at her spirit, "we will talk of that another time. But I'm in the divil's own mess just now. The bailiffs were after me to-day, as you know. I want you to lend me a couple of hundred to put me straight.' "Certainly not, Mr. Blake. It is no use asking me; I will not do it." "What?" he exclaimed, his face blazing up with passion. "You can you must-you shall!" "I will not. I cannot do it; it is not my own," she said falteringly. "Then whose the h-1 is it," he coarsely demanded, "if it is not yours?" "Mine, at present," said a voice. "Till a settlement is madewhich shall be done as soon as possible-it is mine." Consandine turned at this interruption, and confronted Crighton, who looked him sternly in the face. Yours, you beggarly upstart? What do you mean by yours?" 'Simply this, Blake," said the other calmly, passing his wife's arm through his own. "Lola is my wife-we are married." The other turned livid as he heard this, but he was too taken aback to utter a word; but if looks could have killed Crighton he had been dead on the instant. Lola, my love, leave the room for a few minutes; I want to have a short conversation with Mr. Blake; we shall understand each other thoroughly presently. Here, Evershorte," he said, as the young nobleman entered the room, "take my wife to her mother and explain all. Now, Blake," he commenced, when they were alone, "I'm not going to quarrel with you. Just listen patiently to me for a few moments. You know Larry the piper ?" 66 "Know him? I do." Here he uttered a horrid oath. "Well, so far so good, Blake. You married his sister." "Good God! who told you that, Crighton ?" "No matter; I know it. Her child-your child by her-is dead." "Yes!" he exclaimed savagely. "It is dead, and its cursed mother too." "No, Blake, no,” the young man said, "she is not dead, poor soul; but she will be soon, for she is quickly passing away in a decline." What?" screamed the wretched man, (6 not dead? On my oathon my solemn oath-I knew it not, Crighton! I was told she was dead years ago. You will believe me, will you not? Oh God! has it come to this ?" and he covered his face with his hands. |