most of the night, we were not much | known people in country or town. affected by the threatenings of troubles in the country. They had not been presented at any of the Castle drawing-rooms, which are Tony Joscelyn had been about three certainly not unduly exclusive, nor years in the regiment at that time. were they to be met at little dinners He had been in the navy before he be- and parties in good Dublin society; but came a soldier, and if her Majesty's they were generally seen at public or ships always turn out as good fellows as semi-public entertainments where invihe was, their system of breaking in tations were not required, or at dances youngsters must be very good indeed. given by the regiments in garrison, He was a smart man all round, a cap- where Cissy's bright eyes and good ital sportsman, and full of sound com- figure were quite a sufficient introducmon sense. But, whether it was the tion. And the girl was not dependent result of his naval training or not I on eyes and figure alone for attraction, can't say, he had an immense amount but she was always smartly dressed in of self-reliance, which became peril-a rather voyante style, and when she ously like obstinacy if any one tried to chose she could make herself very turn him from his object when he had amusing and agreeable. There was once made up his mind. He had been sometimes a bitter twang in her tongue. giving us some anxiety from the per- however, which seemed to protest sistent way in which he had attached against her rather doubtful position in himself to a girl who was going about society, and some of the respectable Dublin at the time. The subalterns of old dowagers, who considered themthe 200th had a very well-defined theo-selves social leaders, would have felt retical objection to matrimony, and their ears tingle if they had heard the though most of them sooner or later remarks which she occasionally made met their fate, and in the mean time about their manners, customs, and perwere quite ready to plunge into most sonal appearance. Old Mrs. Power did violent flirtations, they did not approve not seem to count for much, except as of one of their number being guilty of the necessary chaperon to Cissy. How a serious devotion, particularly a man such a hideous old woman could have so junior as Joscelyn. They had had such a pretty daughter was a conchaffed him and laughed at him, and stant source of wonder, and we had not had even induced the captain of his failed to point out to Tony that Cissy troop to give him serious advice, but to would of course become like her in no purpose. If he had confined him- time. Providentially she had a blessed self to philandering with Cissy Power gift of silence, and her most remarkwhen they met in public, nobody would able trait was the unfailing appetite have thought anything of it, but he with which she disposed of things eatwas often seen going off in the after-able and drinkable whenever she had a noon to the lodgings in Mount Street chance of refreshment. where Cissy and her mother were living, when he was wanted to play in a cricket-match or take part in some other regimental amusement. To make matters worse, we could not quite make out the Powers. They gave out that they came from County Shillelagh in the west, and were living in Dublin for a time, "just to give my Cissy a little society, poor thing!" as the old woman said in the richest of brogues; but we never met anybody who knew them at home, and they did not seem to have any connection with I have said that there was much excitement about the Feniaus at the time, and naturally the rumors of their doings, and the news of the various military precautions, were a constant subject of conversation. Among the people whom we were in the habit of meeting, there were not, of course, two opinions about the rebellious movement, and no one inveighed against it more heartily than Cissy, - no one took so keen an interest in the military gossip, and in the details of the various orders which were published. Tony The pleasant to everybody for his taste, and that there was something shifty-like about him which he never found in a good non-commissioned officer." Joscelyn was not often away from at- | one day in the orderly-room that "that The Our band was playing in the gardens of Merrion Square, and as the day was fine and there was nothing else going on, I escaped from barracks when afternoon drill was over, and strolled down to see the folks that were sure to be gathered, and afterwards to have a look in at Sewell's, where there were some goodish horses on view. I had not been in the gardens more than two or three minutes when I ran up against Cissy Power and her mother. fair Cissy asked where Joscelyn was, and I confess I felt a malicious pleasure in telling her that he had gone for a run in his yacht, as I hoped that this showed a diminution in his devotion. "He had three days' leave, and took Jacky Thompson with him; but I have been obliged to telegraph to stop them at Malahide, where they will look in this afternoon. They are wanted for picket to-morrow morning, as, with Devereux and Milton sick, we are very short of subalterns, and we have been ordered to find members for a courtmartial." "Then I suppose he will have to leave his yacht at Malahide," said Cissy, "and her ready for sea too! How disappointed he will be! And tell me, now, will he be on picket for a long time?" Joscelyn's naval life had left one trace upon his tastes. He was devoted to boating, and kept a ten-ton yacht, in which he made constant trips along the coast, leaving her in any one of the small harbors that was handy when his leave was up and he had to return to barracks. Besides the one permanent hand who was always in the boat, he very often took with him a corporal belonging to his troop called Morrogh, who, he had discovered, knew as much about handling a small craft as himself, and to whom he wished to be kind, as he seemed a man of education, and of a better class than most of the men in the ranks. Morrogh was a bit of a favorite with the officers generally, as he could bowl well, and was useful in the cricket eleven, besides being a smart, intelligent soldier, who was a credit to the regiment both on and off duty. Unlike most men in the ranks who are special favorites with the officers, he seemed to be equally popular with his comrades, among whom he had great influence. The Fenians had never been heard of! only dissentient voice about his merits They make everybody so uncomfortawas that of the regimental sergeant- ble, and they want to rebel against the major, a shrewd and grim veteran, dear queen. Mamma, dear, stand up. who had fought through the Crimea Don't you hear them playing God and the Mutiny, and whose practical save the Queen'?" knowledge of soldiers had been gained in many lands and in much hard work in peace and war. He confided to me "He'll be on duty for twenty-four hours from to-morrow morning at any rate, and he'll be orderly officer on the following day after that, so he won't be able to go afloat again this week." "Well, now, I am sorry for you poor soldiers. How I wish these horrid While we were talking, the band had come to the end of the programme, and people were beginning to disperse. Cissy and her mother went home, ducted man that of course he got the while I went on to look at the horses, and then dropped into the club. leave. Since the great coup of the arrest of Wilkins, things seemed to be settling down a little. Nothing had been heard of any more country men in arms, and we began to hope that the Fenian movement was dying out, and that ex Molesworth and I walked home together along the quays. It was growing dusk, and the streets were full of the usual sordid grimy figures that haunt the banks of the evil-smelling stream. The only respectable-looking tra duties might soon be relaxed. We passers-by were the occasional soldiers who had come out after evening stables, and were making their way to their various resorts. Poor fellows some of them would not be so clean and smart when they returned to barracks from the equivocal amusements offered by Dublin. We had just passed the Four Courts, when, standing in a by-street, two figures caught our notice. One was one of our own men, and the other was a female with a long cloak on which covered her from head to foot. They walked off rapidly together, and dived out of sight in the neighboring slums. were to be rudely awakened from any such dream. Just before the relief of Joscelyn's picket was going to move off, an orderly clattered into barracks with an official letter for the colonel. There was the devil to pay everywhere. The head-centre Wilkins had escaped from Kilmainham, and had left so little trace of his evasion that it was evident he had bold and active friends both inside and outside the prison. Dignified officials were hauled over the coals for carelessness and inefficiency, dismissals were numerous, and redoubled attention was given to military precautions in the town. As far as the "I'll take my oath that's Corporal 200th were concerned, we might almost Morrogh!" said Molesworth, "and his friend is a smarter looking woman than soldiers usually pal with. She walks just like somebody we know. I have it! She's just like Cissy Power, though of course she wouldn't be traipsing down here at this time of day." Joscelyn and Thompson turned up in time for mess, both very grumpy at having been brought back, and having the prospect of a dull day's picket duty before them, instead of enjoying the breezes in the Channel. Joscelyn was rather put out, too, because Paddy Cregan, his boatman, had been inclined to be cheeky, and he vowed he would discharge him as soon as he could take the Mermaid round to Kingstown again. I saw the pickets parade and march off the following morning, and when I went to the orderly-room, I found that Corporal Morrogh had sent in an application for a pass for twenty-four hours from that evening on account of the illness of a sister. I had never before heard that he had any relations in Dublin; but he was such a well-con as well have been on active service. A feeling began to gain ground also, which added to the general uneasiness that there was a leaven of disloyalty among the soldiers, and that we could not thoroughly depend on all the men who wore the queen's uniform. But how had Wilkins escaped? and how had he managed to avoid recognition and arrest in leaving Ireland, where every seaport and steamer was carefully watched, and every passenger had to be identified and to give an account of himself? At last the belief spread that he had made his way to the coast, and had slipped off in a small craft to some vessel which was lying waiting in the Channel ready to take him over to France. If he had done this he must have had a goodish knocking about, as there had been half a gale of wind, and the weather had been dirty enough to make most of the boats on the coast remain safe at their moorings. All short leaves were stopped, as every officer was required for something or other; but Joscelyn managed to get away for a day to arrange about ring up the people and enrolling them in military organizations. Several soidisant generals were known to have arrived from America, and to be taking an active part in rebellious prepara laying up the Mermaid at Malahide till expected, there were reports of requieter times. When he returned he newed disturbances in the south and was full of the iniquities of Paddy Cre-west. Agitators were heard of, stirgan, who had bolted, leaving the yacht in a terrible state, very dirty, with all her gear in the greatest disorder. As Joscelyn said to me, "If I had not known that she was lying snug, I would have believed that she had had tions. The commander-in-chief at that a rough cruise after Jacky Thompson and I left her, when you telegraphed for us the day before Wilkins escaped." The summer wore on, and everybody who had any place in the country to go to left Dublin. We heard no more about Fenians for the time, but there were forebodings that when the long winter nights began, and deeds of villainy would be protected by darkness, we should have a renewal of troubles. Cissy Power and her mother left their lodgings "to go to their little cottage in the west," as the old woman told us. We hoped that Joscelyn's infatuation might now be checked, and that he would forget the girl. If we could tide him over the winter he would be tolerably safe, as we were due to be moved to England in the next spring. time was a man who had gained rank and honors in the operations of the Mutiny campaign, and the methods which had proved successful in the Far East would, he considered, be equally effective in Ireland. We had just finished dinner one night when an order was brought in directing us to furnish a squadron to be ready to start for service on the following morning. The only details that were told to us juniors were, that we were to be at the railway station at daybreak, where we should find a train waiting for us, and that we should be away from Dublin for an indefinite time. What a scrimmage we had that night getting men and horses told off, and collecting our necessary kits! Both Joscelyn and I were among the officers ordered to be in readiness, and we were objects of envy to those that were to be left behind, who would all have been delighted to exchange the dull routine of garrison duty for the off-chance of a real fight where we were going. The next morning we had a pretty miserable start. It rained as it only does rain in Ireland. Cloaked and dripping, we found ourselves in the station, and proceeded to entrain the I began to share the regimental sergeant-major's opinion about Corporal Morrogh. Somehow, with all his apparent smartness and plausibility, there was a deal of misconduct in his barrack-room. The men in it seemed to be better off for money than most of their comrades in the regiment, and instead of going out into the town like others, only on the weekly pay day, they were apparently able to have a horses. The officers' chargers were lark at any time. I frequently heard, too, of Morrogh standing treat at the canteen in a way that few men in his position were ever able to practise. He applied to be employed in the orderly-room; but independently of the laxity with which we could not help crediting him, we had distinct orders from headquarters that no men of Irish birth were to have any access to regimental papers and correspondence, so he remained at his ordinary duty. Winter set in early, and, as had been provided with horse-boxes, but the troopers' were put into cattle-trucks, and very unhappy the poor brutes looked, jammed tightly together, with little shelter from the cold, wintry blast. At last we were ready to start, and as the train steamed out of the grimy station we found that the colonel was with us. He told us that we, with some infantry and police, were going to form a small flying column in County Shillelagh, and that he was to There were to be be in command. room with a letter held in her very black fingers. “Is one of you jintlemen here Misther Joscelyn? A gossoon has brought a bit of a note for him. 'Tis a lady, he says, that's waiting on a cyar at the street's corner.” other similar columus formed in differ- | pendent on them, as we had been ent districts, which were to traverse provident enough to bring one of our the country in unlooked-for movements own mess-waiters and some hampers and crush the faintest semblance of with us, and we promised ourselves a rising that might occur. Our train pleasant evening with our new friends. dragged its slow length along for weary We had been round the billets of the hours, and late in the afternoon we men, had seen that the arms were arrived at the little country town which everywhere duly secured, and that, was to be the assembling-place of the besides the patrols and guards under column. The one long, straggling arms, every squad had a special fatigue street was more alive than it had ever sentry to keep an eye upon horses and been in the memory of man. Strong equipments; and we were all gathered guards were posted at the hotel, where in the one public room of the inn, gosthe headquarters was established, and siping and waiting till the orders for in the market-place, which had been the next day should be issued. One of told off as an alarm-post in case of the slatternly maids came into the necessity. Knots of infantry soldiers with belts and side-arms on were hanging about, evidently ready to fall in at a moment's notice. Constabulary men, looking marvellously clean and smart even in the mud and gloom of an Irish November day, seemed quite at home in their surroundings, and had the air of knowing precisely what they were about, only doubtful whether they were going to play second fiddle in a civil war, or whether they should look upon the soldiers as being there to support them in the execution of their ordinary duty. As soon as we got our men and horses told off into billets, there was a general fraternization between us and the infantry and constabulary officers, while our colonel, with the infantry major and the constabulary inspector, retired to hold a council of war, and to compare orders, information, and plans. Of course there was a collection of all the inhabitants of the place to see the "dthragoons" arrive, and if they were disaffected to the government, they were at any rate most cordial in their reception of us. Everywhere our men found willing hands to help them in fetching forage, water, and the thousand and one little requirements of horse and man in a strange place. The innkeeper, with his fat wife and two of the most slatternly maids I ever saw, worked as they had never worked before, and produced all the resources of the town for our refreshment. Fortunately we were not entirely de 66 Jos, you sly dog, have you made a conquest already?" I said, and Joscelyn took the note with some wonderment in his face. As he opened it, however, he made no reply, but snatched up his cloak and forage-cap and darted from the room. He had not been gone many minutes when he returned, and, with rather a shamefaced air, told me that of all people in the world Cissy Power and her mother were staying at a small shebeen in the town. "They are so alarmed about the Fenians that they have left their house in the country, and hearing that there were to be soldiers in this place, they have come here in the mean time, and have to put up with very poor accommodation, as we have occupied the whole of the only decent inn." I was anything but pleased at this news, both as a friend and as a brother subaltern; as a friend, because I could not help fearing that Joscelyn would be fatally entangled with the girl; and as a brother subaltern, because I foresaw that he would be asking me to take his duty whenever he could manage it, so that he might spend his time with his inamorata. The acting brigade-major now came into the room, however, and gave us in detail the orders for the next day. The infantry were to re |