"Aye, surely I will! I will always be true!"

For at the bottom of my heart I am sure— yes! I am sure that I am sure that Kevin is in the right, and that his cause-our cause— is the right cause. And I will be true to the

end. I will believe in the true cause and be willing to help it-even although it should require real sacrifice. Yet what sacrifice we may be called to make, is the fear that follows me.

Kevin seemed gladdened by my answer; he kissed me once again, then turned, and hastened back to the boat. I found that Geraldine had reached the door and was standing talking to Honor, who for the first instant had been overcome by amazement on finding that it was she, not Kevin, who was waiting to be admitted at that early hour. Our explanations did not seem much to reassure her. She looked exceedingly troubled but said little; and as quietly as we could, we hurried to our rooms.

Long after I had lain down, it seemed to me, I heard faint sounds of voices in Geraldine's room as though she and Honor were

still talking. I fell asleep at last, and did not waken until nearly six o'clock when the whole scene of yesterday night came rushing back to memory and sent all remaining sleep away. So I rose and while the house was yet still began to write these last pages.

I am full of wonder about how things will go to-day. Will Kevin tell mother himself what there is to be told? And has he brought Denis back with him? And what will father say and do when he arrives home this evening?

CHAPTER V.

Evening of the Same Day.-I was the first in the hall this morning, where Shane, after laying the breakfast table, had sounded the gong. Being rather afraid lest Shane should allude to our late moonlight row to which he had been a party, I retired to one of the deep window-recesses to wait for the others to assemble. The first to arrive was mother-serene, unsuspicious. Ida-in high spirits and chatter-sprang in after her, with her usual form of strangling embraces; Geraldine followed, with bright, flushed colour, half gay, half grave, wearing a wonderful air of unconcern, while yet looking fully ready to meet anything and everything.

Breakfast was half over when Lilian Trevor made her appearance, cold, grand, ungenial as ever. Mother was the first to express a wonder what made Kevin and Denis so late. I could do nothing else but

wonder; and what would happen when they did come I wondered still more. It was useless to try and gather Geraldine's thoughts on the subject, for she was busy making fun with Ida, and seemed to be attending to nothing else.

There was but little observation made upon our boating expedition of last night. Mother only said that when, on shutting up the house, Shane had told her we should not be back until late, he had proceeded warmly to take our part as though apprehensive that she would be displeased. She remarked that I was looking none the better for having kept such late hours, but just at that moment Geraldine became extra merry with Ida, and the subject was dropped.

Directly after breakfast Geraldine said. she must go home. Mother tried to keep her until later, saying there could be no need for such haste. I thought she might as well have waited until father's return, and have taken her part in the scene, if there was to be a general explanation. She might, I thought, have done something towards softening what I feared would only

too likely prove a bitter time of discord. But Geraldine would listen to no one, and hurriedly wishing all good-morning, set off by herself to walk home.

Not long after, mother came from her room looking troubled. She could not understand, she said, what was the matter with Honor. Honor had come to her, and without any preface had said she must go away. Mother thought at first she must only mean she must go to Lara; she could not believe it possible that Honor, who has lived with us these thirty years-ever since Roderick, the eldest of us, was born-Honor, whom we have always regarded as a fixture amongst us, quite as strong as the castle walls themselves-Honor, who had promised our dying mother that she would take care of us-it could not be possible that Honor was talking of leaving Castle Knocklara. But that was what Honor did mean. She could

only repeat her words; she had no explanation to give, except that she thought it was better she should go away, and then she had burst into tears, and had cried ever since as though her heart would break. Mother