Walter had asked Mrs. Conyers to take her
seat on the pillion on his horse, but she did not answer, and when Walter
turned to see that she was comfortably placed behind him, he found that
it was Claire who was seated there.
"Mamma told me to," the girl said. "I suppose she thought this was,
perhaps, the last ride we should take together."
"For the present, Claire--you should say, for the present. I hope it will
not be long before we are together again.
"And for good," he added, in a low voice.
Mrs. Conyers made no comment, when they dismounted and entered the house
of a friend at Limerick, upon Claire's swollen eyes and flushed cheeks,
but said "goodbye" lightly to Walter, thanked him for his escort, and
said that she hoped to see him, with her household goods, on the
following afternoon.
On leaving them, Walter went straight to the house where an officer of
his acquaintance was quartered.
"Hullo, Davenant! I didn't expect to see you here at this time of the
evening. I heard you were still laid up with your wound."
"That is an old affair now," Walter said. "I am not quite strong again,
but there is little the matter now. I have come in to ask you if you will
let me have five-and-twenty of your men.
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