224 GARRYOWEN 



for it's just these sort of things that happen in 

 Hfe, and happen to me. The letter won't get lost ; 

 if the mail packet was to sink, a shark would rout 

 it out from the mail bags and swallow it, and get 

 caught, and be cut open, and the letter would go 

 on by next mail. We're done." 



" Don't lose heart." 



" We're done. I know it. And to think, 

 after all our plotting and planning, that a child's 

 tomfooling would come, after all, to ruin me! 

 I could skin her aHve when I think of it." He 

 stopped suddenly and turned. A httle white 

 figure stood at the door. It was Effie. Seized 

 with an overwhelming spirit of righteousness, 

 hearing her father's voice colloguing, and touched 

 with desire for adventure and a kiss, she had 

 bundled out of bed and run into the sitting-room. 



" I want a kiss," said Effie. 



The next moment she was in her father's arms, 

 and he was kissing her as though she had brought 

 him a fortune instead of ruin. 



The next moment she was gone, seeking her 

 warm bed rapidly, and as the sound of her pattering 

 feet died away the girl turned to French, her eyes 

 filled with tears. 



" We aren't done," said she, speaking rapidly 

 and with vehemence. " We'll get the better of 

 them yet. We'll do something, and we have time 

 to prepare our defence against them, for the letter 

 won't reach Cloyne till the day after to-morrow." 



" If they manage to do me in this," said French, 



