minutes." And then turning expressly to me, he laid his hand kindly
upon my shoulder and said, "I hope you will make yourself quite at
home at Castle Conor, and whatever you do, don't keep us waiting for
dinner. You can dress in twenty minutes, I suppose?"

"In ten!" said I, glibly.

"That's well. Jack and Peter will show you your room," and so he
turned away and left us.

My two young friends made their way into the great hall, and thence
into the drawing-room, and I followed them. We were all dressed in
pink, and had waded deep through bog and mud. I did not exactly know
whither I was being led in this guise, but I soon found myself in the
presence of two young ladies, and of a girl about thirteen years of
age.

"My sisters," said Jack, introducing me very laconically; "Miss
O'Conor, Miss Kate O'Conor, Miss Tizzy O'Conor."

"My name is not Tizzy," said the younger; "it's Eliza. How do you
do, sir? I hope you had a fine hunt! Was papa well up, Jack?"

Jack did not condescend to answer this question, but asked one of the
elder girls whether anything had come, and whether a room had been
made ready for me.

"Oh yes!" said Miss O'Conor; "they came, I know, for I saw them
brought into the house; and I hope Mr. Green will find everything
comfortable." As she said this I thought I saw a slight smile steal