"I hope you don't mind my being dressed like this," she said, as she took her seat. "I always have a ride in the mornings, and I generally tidy up for breakfast; but I'm riding a race at ten with Larry--my cousin, you know--so 'twouldn't be worth while to change to-day." She spoke quite naturally, encountering Milbanke's eyes with no suggestion of embarrassment for last night's adventure. He met her glance for an instant; then his own wandered guiltily to the corner of the cheque protruding from under his plate. "Not at all!" he said hurriedly--"not at all! I hope I may be permitted to see the race." Clodagh smiled. "Of course--if you like," she said. "But it won't be much to look at." She added this with a quick glance that ineffectually attempted to gauge the guest's tastes and powers of appreciation. "'Twill be grand!" murmured Nance softly. "And I know who's going to win." "Nonsense!" said Clodagh. "I won in the practice last night, but the strand was wet, and the cob is only sure on hard ground." But nevertheless she flushed and threw a quick look of appreciation and affection at her loyal little partisan. "What are you two chattering about?" said Asshlin, standing up from the fire and straightening his shoulders. "Is that your notion of hospitality? To keep a stranger waiting for his breakfast? Faith, we knew better in the old days--eh, James?" He laughed, and passed round the table. Clodagh presided at the old-fashioned silver urn; and either her confidences of the night before or the prospect of her coming contest affected her, for she forgot the diffidence that had marked her at the dinner of the preceding evening, and talked brightly and with interest on a variety of subjects. Finally, as she handed Milbanke his second cup of tea, she touched upon the object of his visit. "'Twas to see the ruins at Carrigmore, not us, that you came, wasn't it?" she said with a shade of humour. He returned her glance seriously. "Oh no," he said. "At least----" "Ah, now you've let it out!" she cried, with a laugh. "I knew it. I said so. Didn't I, Nance? I knew no one would come here just to see us." Asshlin laughed. "'Pon my soul!" he cried, "you haven't learned your market value yet, Clo! If I were a girl, I'm hanged if I'd rate myself lower than a fourth-century ruin." He laughed afresh. But Clodagh displayed no embarrassment. She was too unversed in the ways of coquetry to see or resent the point of the remark. "I?" she said naively. "What have I to do with it?" After this there was a trifling silence, at the end of which, Asshlin looked quickly at his guest.