"Well, who will come to Piershill?" said Frank; "I am not going to ride alone—Arranmore, come along!"
"Faith, not I—I never feared Musgrave, alive or dead! Besides, I am married; I have my wife to defend."
"Ah, that's well enough; but we poor devils who have no wives must look out for company. Come, will no one accompany me?"
"I think I had better weigh anchor and be off," said Captain Wilson; "I have had far too much to do with it to moor myself here and be snapped up by the sharks!—only for God's sake don't put me aboard that vicious craft young Nimrod again."
"Good night, then—and don't dream about ghosts, Florence," said Frank, as he and Wilson descended. "It is not I am really afraid you know, Wilson; but I want to tell the news at the barracks."
The two young men were soon mounted, and riding along to the cavalry barracks, where the 10th Hussars were now quartered. When they reached the barracks, they found the yard full of men and officers, crowded round a soldier who had lately dismounted.
"Hallo! here's some one who can enlighten us better than this d—d Paddy!"
"How are you, De Vere?—so you've had a duel at the Towers?" said Captain Ross.
"How the devil did you learn the news? Well, that's a nice sell for me,—coming all this way to tell you stale news."
The explanation was given that one of the troopers had been supping at the Towers that evening, and, with true Irish wisdom, having heard there had been a duel, and one of the duellists killed, without staying to inquire which had fallen