of it, in case the old woman should try to escape."

"A truly discreet proceeding, Kennedy," O'Neil laughed. "I think,
if I myself had been in your place, I should have taken a seat
inside also, where you, of course, could at once have watched the
old woman, and talked with the young one."

"I don't think that you would have done anything of the sort,
O'Neil," Desmond said gravely, "but would have seen, as I did,
that it was better that she should travel alone, with the old
woman, till she reached her father's house. Scandal will be busy
enough with her name, in any case, and it is as well that it
should not be said that she arrived home, in a carriage, with a
young officer of O'Brien's Irish regiment."

"By my faith, Kennedy, it seems to me that you are a Saint Anthony
and a Bayard rolled into one. But, seriously, you are undoubtedly
right. Well, it all depends upon who was the man who carried her
off, as to whether you were fortunate or unfortunate in thus
having thwarted his designs. If he is some adventurer, your action
will gain you heaps of credit. If, on the other hand, it was one
of the king's favourites, seeking to mend his fortunes by
marrying, it is probable that you will have made a dangerous
enemy--nay, more, have drawn upon yourself the king's displeasure.
I should think it likely that, before attempting so desperate an
action as the carrying off of the Baron Pointdexter's daughter,
such a man would have assured himself that the king would not view
the enterprise with displeasure.

"We may assume that he would not inform His Majesty of any