She is equally determined that if Denis goes we must go with him.

"I only wish," she said to me aside, "I only wish that Kevin were home this evening. In spite of Denis, or Terry either, I would certainly ask him about it, and, if he could not prevent Denis from going, to go himself also. But he told me this morning he would be away all day, so when I found that nothing could shake that most obstinate of boys, Denis, from the plan he had made for to-night, I turned round and said I would come with him. We are to start at halfpast nine-so as not to let Mrs. O'Rossa or any one else guess that we are going to stay on the water later than other evenings-but we are not to be at Ballycarrig until twelve o'clock. No, Eveleen, you are not to make a single objection-Denis and I have settled it all. You are just to come and say nothing. I feel that you and I are wanted-I mean it quite in earnest. If there should happen to be anything to be seen or heard at Ballycarrig which would not be approved of by Denis, there is no knowing into what

trouble he might not bring himself and others, but if you and I are with him it may ward off suspicion of interference. It will only be thought we have come for a row as on other nights."

She has overpersuaded me-I have promised to be ready at half-past nine o'clock. In the meanwhile I have been writing down in my diary the entry for the day. The light from my turret window is already growing too dim to write more.

The castle clock has struck nine. I see Denis down on the strand getting the boat ready. Geraldine is coming with shawls. She is calling me. It is time to start.

CHAPTER IV.

May 24th.-We were soon out of sight of the castle windows. Denis had told Shane we should not be home until late, and Shane as a great condescension had entrusted him with the key of the side door.

The moon rose and shone over the waters, but their vapoury clouds dimmed its brightness. We rowed slowly down the coast under the black shadows of the line of rocks. Fallycarrig was but a few miles off, and it was two hours and a half before we wanted to be there.

Denis had brought matches and candles for entering the cave. I had misgivings whether it were not a foolish thing we were doing, and tried to persuade him to be content to watch the place from the outside. But Denis, as Geraldine says, is obstinate to the last degree. He only said when he had drawn the boat up into a little hidden cove in the rocks' side, that we had better wait there while he went on alone.

F

But Geraldine would not hear of it, and was the first to spring to land, and I when I found how still and weird the bay of Ballycarrig looked, quite shut in among the high queer rocks, began to feel it would be a lonelier thing to be left in the boat which the water kept lapping up and down in the corner of the cove, than to follow the others into the darkness of the cave.

We did not land near the entrance to the cave-we clambered up the rock sides where there was no path; the way was rough and often shelving and slippery, hundreds of feet sheer down below the ground we trod, there was nothing but deep dark water. We are all well used to climbing, and went swiftly on one after the other, uttering no word and taking care that our footfalls should make as little sound as possible.

We reached at length the level table land of short turf which stretched away for miles into the country. To the north there were hills rising above the flatness; on these there were great fires burning. Looking down on the bay all was as still as before, there was

not a light to be seen all along the coast. Looking across the stretch of turf we fancied

we could see a few dark specks like figures in the far distance moving towards our direction, and in another minute we were quite sure.

We all crouched down behind a safe crag which rose higher than the rest above ground. Very soon the tramp of several pair of feet came near-so near that they passed close beside us and turned down over the cliff at no great distance.

"We must stay where we are," Denis whispered, and we waited, crouching always beneath the shadow of the rock, and sheltered by piles of massive boulders.

The light of the moon struggled feebly now and then through the long line of black straggling clouds which chased each other across the sky. The sea was calm, and sent up no sound, save that of a dull sullen thud as the waves washed up with sudden shock against the rock-walls' base.

The beacon bonfires rose red and wild ; at times seeming to sink and wane, but only to