“I thought of going this evening. I meant to devote the morning to these maps and drawings, so that I might master the details before I should show them to my friends at night.” “Couldn't that be deferred? I mean, is there anything against your going over at once? I 'll own to you I am very uneasy lest some incorrect version of this affair with Sewell should get abroad. Even without any malevolence there is plenty of mischief done by mere blundering, and I would rather anticipate than follow such disclosures.” “I perceive,” said Sir Brook, musingly, as with longing eyes he looked over the colored plans and charts which strewed the table, and had for him all the charm of a romance. “Then,” resumed Trafford, “Lucy should have my mother's letter. It might be that she ought to reply to it at once.” “Yes, I perceive,” mused Sir Brook again. “I 'm sure, besides, it would be very politic in you to keep up the good relations you have so cleverly established with the Chief; he holds so much to every show of attention, and is so flattered by every mark of polite consideration for him.” “And for all these good reasons,” said Sir Brook, slowly, “you would say, we should set out at once. Arriving there, let us say, for luncheon, and being begged to stay and dine,--which we certainly should,--we might remain till, not impossibly, midnight.” Perhaps it was the pleasure of such a prospect sent the blood to Trafford's face, for he blushed very deeply as he said, “I don't think, sir, I have much fault to find with your arrangement.” “And yet the real reason for the plan remains unstated,” said Fossbrooke, looking him steadfastly in the face, “so true is what the Spanish proverb says, 'Love has more perfidies than war.' Why not frankly say you are impatient to see your sweetheart, sir? I would to Heaven the case were my own, and I 'd not be afraid nor ashamed to avow it; but I yield to the plea, and let us be off there at once.” CHAPTER XXVIII. THE END OF ALL The following paragraph appeared in the Irish, and was speedily copied into some of the English papers: “An intrigue, which involves the character of more than one individual of rank, and whose object was to compel the Chief Baron of her Majesty's Exchequer in Ireland to resign his seat on the Bench, has at length been discovered, and, it is said, will soon be made matter of Parliamentary explanation. We hope, for the reputation of our public men, that the details which have reached us of the transaction may not be substantiated; but the matter is one which demands, and must have, the fullest and most searching inquiry.” “So, sir,” said the old Chief to Haire, who had read this passage to him aloud as they sat at breakfast, “they would make political capital of my case, and, without any thought for me or for my feelings, convert the conduct displayed towards me into a means of attacking a fallen party. What says Sir Brook Fossbrooke to this? or how would he act were he in my place?”