and to travel from place to place, attending consultations, without permitting the English spies to discover whether such visits and movements were professional or political.

The Newport News establishments had long attracted his attention as presenting an opportunity of suddenly dispatching a formidable expedition, and the word had been passed to every American "Mac T-" enrolled in the fighting division of the O-— T——, to gradually make his way to District No. I, and, whenever possible, to get himself billeted to a post at Newport News. This was done very successfully, and, without anything being known to us of the Grand Council, some thousands of determined men had assembled, under our wing and supported by our pay, waiting for the time of action against a nation with whom the United States was at peace.

Boreen had been appointed to Newport News when he first joined the medical department of the Legion, and for more than a year he had enjoyed an excellent opportunity of perfecting the plans of the O——— T————. To avoid chance disclosures, the organization was always spoken of as a lottery, and subscriptions to the fighting fund were collected by the sale of numbered tickets, which purported to be issued by a lottery company in Hayti, but which the initiated understood would be accepted at twice their face value as payment for confiscated land in Ireland on the O——— T—· proving successful.

At length, signs were noted by Boreen of his being under surveillance of a greatly intensified description, directed by a new attaché of the British embassy at Washington-the individual in question being none other, indeed, than our friend, Sir Charles Heriot, who had occupied an important position in the International Department of the British Secret Service, and who had received a diplomatic appointment in order to facilitate his work in this country. Of course, neither Cuyler nor Merritt nor I knew anything of this at the time, and we of the Council had no reason for supposing that Boreen's

application to be transferred from Newport News to Clyde had any motive other than his desire to be with his old chum, Richard Westeron.

"So, you see, Lydia," said Boreen, "what a rebellious, filibustering, buccaneering sort of fellow I am.”

"De patriis virtutibus non est disputandum," replied Lydia. "To be perfectly candid with you, Tom, I fail to understand how Ireland would be better off as an independent republic or T- than she is, at the present time, as a State of the English Federation. I know she is called a 'Province' and not a 'State'; and she has not the exact form and appearance of autonomy, or, better, authegemony, that we see in, for example, North Carolina. But she has, in all essential respects, freedom as great, and self-government as complete. I dare say even you would deem the North Carolinians unwise in desiring and attempting to free their necks from the Union yoke. In all consistency you should expect me to form the same opinion of yourself and your Macca T. But, I repeat, de patriis virtutibus non est disputandum."

'You seem to have a very poor opinion of me," said Tom, gloomily.

Pray don't think that for a moment. I have so good an opinion of you that I feel honored by your friendship, Tom. And your wild deeds command my admiration when I think of their high motives and splendid execution. You must remember that you are not one of the world's unknown quantities. The American papers had plenty to say about you in 1905, in spite of our own little difficulty' with Spain. Naturally, I have never known the details and secret springs you have told me about to-night, and I had little idea of the nature and extent of your leadership. But, perhaps, because I was a 'medico' myself, I took very great interest in the dashing young Dublin physician, who so speedily developed into an army chieftain. I think you will understand my feeling after next Thursday."

"What do you mean, Lydia?" asked Boreen, eagerly.

Thursday is the Fourth of July. Our good, tolerant, whimsical Clyde folk insist upon my being the orator of the day. So I am going to say something which will astonish a good many people by its matter, even though its manner may leave much to be desired."

"And afterward?"

"Well?"

"When I shall understand your views, may I declare my own?"

Lydia rode on a few paces in silence. Then she said, in a voice which seemed to vibrate as though one of the strings of her soul had been touched:

"We will adjourn this matter of conversation, Tom, until after the Fourth."

Boreen, high-spirited and boldly resolute as he was, felt the influence of the grave, almost sad, demeanor.

"Be it so, macree," he said. And then, making an ef fort to regain his ordinary cheerful tone, he added:

"I've something more to tell you. Within the past fortnight the O———— T— has sustained a terrible blow. A large consignment of arms and ammunition was to have been landed at the ruins of Kilkee for the Macca. All that remained for completion was the payment of the agreed money- -a million dollars to the French contractors. The money had been subscribed. It has now been stolen, and our trusted agent who had charge of it has been murdered. Imagine the state of my mind."

"You heard of it at Waynesville?"

"How do you know that?"

"When you returned I saw by your face and manner that you had been made ill at ease; and since then I have seen you frowning and scowling at your own thoughts often." "You have watched me so closely as all that, Lydia?" "Watching becomes instinctive when

B. checked herself.

Here L.

"When what?" asked Boreen, in a voice which was pleadingly low.

Again Lydia rode on without answering. Presently she said:

"Forgive my seeming rudeness-it is but seeming-and proceed with what you were about to tell me."

Tom resolutely gulped down a sigh of mammoth proportions, and resumed:

"Yes. I received a telegram from Newport News, asking me to go to Waynesville and there await one of our principal agents. He told me of the robbery and presumed murder."

"Presumed?"

"We were waiting for you."

"For me, Tom?" cried Lydia in a tone of the most animated surprise, much to the relief of Boreen, who was feeling very uneasy at the somber change which had come over the normally gay and insouciante L. B.

"Yes, for you! And if the sharp wits of Dr. Blauenfeld had not been brought into requisition the murder might have remained forever undiscovered."

"You don't mean to say that the Michael Smith I examined the other day was your agent."

"Yes, I do. He was the ablest conspirator I ever met or heard of. He was born for it. His real name was Brian O'Brien; and when the history of the O—— T— comes to be written you will find that name greener than any other. He was the Ri of our Eastern division, and came to this country from Paris with me. We soon fell in with the M- -— B—.' "That means the ' -,' does it not?" "Yes. What a wonderful storehouse of knowledge your little brain must be, Lydia."

“That's nothing. It simply shows I have read a little Irish history and have retained a few Irish words in my memory."

(To be continued.)

THE

Editorial

Opposition to the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty HERE has been much exaggerated fuss and flutter by certain American journals over the pending treaty between the United States and Great Britain. Secretary Hay himself has been touched up by the cartoonist's pencil for supposed Anglomania, and the treaty, if we were to believe all that is said against it in some quarters, might be deemed a veritable surrender to the enemy.

This is all nonsense, of course, and these journals have simply been making an exhibition of hysterical patriotism. There has always been the danger, however, that this opposition might become strong enough to force amendments to the treaty that England could not stomach, and that thereby the building of the canal would be delayed. It may be that it is this very consummation for which some people are devoutly hoping. There are interests in the United States. which the canal would not benefit. These may be the backbone of the opposition and its amendatory programme. Mr. Hay may be the butt of skillful lobbyists rather than unselfish patriots.

Loot

The occupation of Pekin has shown how lightly Western civilization has veneered primal acquisitive propensities. Pekin furnishes a new chapter in the history of looting, a new argument that human nature is the same the world