CHAPTER VIII.

MOYNEHAN CASTLE; ON THE

THRESHOLD.

“There was a sound of revelry by night,

and bright

The lamps shone o'er fair women and brave men.”

"YOU'RE in luck, Frere."

"How so?"

Childe Harold.

It was breakfast-time, and a dozen or more officers were in the mess-room, some at table, others turning over on the mantelpiece the letters lying there that had arrived by that morning's post. Alured had just come in, and

he repeated his question.

"Man! do you call that thing a man? He's a child, and it's a children's party; that's why they want him."

"You'll have to play with Miss What's-her

name; and you'll have tea and jam in the nursery; and we'll send the maid for you at eight punctually."

"But where am I asked? For goodness' sake tell me!"

"For goodness' sake! How nicely he swears! You're coming on. It'll be something much stronger soon," said old Birch.

"Give him the card," interposed Davidson, who had just come in.

"If I don't let him have it, he can't go. Do you want to go very much, boy?"

"Boy yourself! But go where? Give it me, do," cried Alured rather pettishly, stretching across the table.

"Hands off! None of your snatching, Boy Frere."

"If you're so rough, they won't ask you to the Castle any more," said some one else. "You'll be hurting the other children."

"The Castle ?"

"Yes, the Castle; fancy that," continued his tormentor. Here, look. Can you read it across the table? The letters are big enough, I'm sure. Listen

VOL. I.

K

"The Countess of Moynehan will be at home to Mr. Frere of the 145th, on the 13th at 9 o'clock;' and there's to be dancing and divilments of all kinds, I don't doubt."

Alured remembered Moynehan Castle well enough. It was the home of that queenly personage who had pitied and petted him when so forlorn.

"What do you mean by it, Boy Frere?" asked Davidson laughingly, as he took the card, and gave it to Alured. "What do you

mean by coming down here with your sham innocence and childish ways, when it turns out you are hand and glove with all the lords and ladies in the place? Here have we been all of us ten months or more at Ballybanagher, and never has a man of us darkened old Moynehan's doors."

The fact was the neighbouring county families looked with little favour on the overgrown depot which occupied the barracks, and did not care to make acquaintances.

Here's Bloxam," went on Davidson, “ready to pay handsomely for a ticket like that, just to frame it, and hang it over his mantelpiece.

And you, you miserable little beggar, are asked to a dance at the Castle within a month or two of your joining. What do you mean by it, eh ?"

"Come on; I'm not afraid of you," cried Alured, squaring up to his captain. "I'll fight you for the invitation.”

It was

"You've lots of cheek, you have. only yesterday, about, that you called me Sir, and seemed so soft that butter wouldn't melt in your mouth. Now, you're offering to strike your superior officer. Do you know it is a court-martial offence ?"

"Oh, yes; I know all about your courtsmartial. Give me the card,-will you, or won't you ?"

"Well-I will. There, boy, take it, and gladden your eyes with it. But don't get snobbish, and gloat over the big names too much. These fellows are dying with envy at your luck; but don't think too much of it, I tell you. You'll wish yourself back here, when once you get to the Castle.”

"I won't. Why should I?"

"Because the people you meet at those places

have a way of looking at you till you begin to feel like an escaped criminal or a lost dogquite out of place, and liable to instant capture and removal."

Bloxam had been deep in thought for some time. At last he remarked speculatively, “I wonder how you managed to get this ticket Frere? They tell me the countess is a real knock-me-down fine lady."

"Who never speaks to anything under a duke," shouted Starkie, “and has baronets for footmen, eh?”

No, but—”

"You wonder why Boy Frere is asked? Perhaps they'll invite you too, if you dress yourself in a suit of sky blue velvet, and drive up and down in front of the lodge."

"You're always down on me, Starkie. You know I haven't got a suit of blue velvet.”

Everybody grinned.

"I met Lord and Lady Moynehan at Ballaborris station, and they gave me a seat as far as this in their carriage," said Frere, apologetically almost, to the whole company.

"And as you didn't pick his lordship's