"Good God! Ye don't say so, child! Her brother! O'Moy's brother-in-law! And O'Moy never said a word to me about it.
"What should he say?
Sir Terence himself pledged his word to the Council of Regency that Mr.Butler would be shot when taken." "Did he, egad!" He was still further surprised out of his sternness.
"Something of a Roman this O'Moy in his conception of duty! Hum! The Council no doubt demanded this ?" "So I understand, my lord.

Lady O'Moy, realising her brother's grave danger, is very deeply troubled." "Naturally," he agreed.

"But what can I do, Miss Armytage?
What were the actual facts, do you happen to know ?" She recited them, putting the case bravely for the scapegrace Mr.
Butler, dwelling particularly upon the error under which he was labouring, that he had imagined himself to be knocking at the gates of a monastery of Dominican friars, that he had broken into the convent because denied admittance, and because he suspected some treacherous reason for that denial.
He heard her out, watching her with those keen eyes of his the while.
"Hum! You make out so good a case for him that one might almost believe you instructed by the gentleman himself.

Yet I gather that nothing has since been heard of him ?" "Nothing, sir, since he vanished from Tavora, nearly, two months ago.
And I have only repeated to your lordship the tale that was told by the sergeant and the troopers who reported the matter to Sir Robert Craufurd on their return." He was very thoughtful.

Leaning on the balustrade, he looked out across the sunlit valley, turning his boldly chiselled profile to his companion.