All Donal was able to conclude on his way home,
and he did not hurry, was, that, if he were asked any questions, he
would speak out what he knew--be absolutely open. If that should put
a weapon in the hand of the enemy, a weapon was not the victory.
CHAPTER XLVIII.
PATERNAL REVENGE.
No sooner had he entered the castle, where his return had been
watched for, than Simmons came to him with the message that his
lordship wanted to see him. Then first Donal remembered that he had
not brought the papers! Had he not been sent for, he would have gone
back at once to fetch them. As it was, he must see the earl first.
He found him in a worse condition than usual. His last drug or
combination of drugs had not agreed with him; or he had taken too
much, with correspondent reaction: he was in a vile temper. Donal
told him he had been to the house, and had found the papers, but had
not brought them--had, in fact, forgotten them.
"A pretty fellow you are!" cried the earl. "What, you left those
papers lying about where any rascal may find them and play the deuce
with them!"
Donal assured him they were perfectly safe, under the same locks and
keys as before.
"You are always going about the bush!" cried the earl. "You never
come to the point! How the devil was it you locked them up
again?--To go prying all over the house, I suppose!"
Donal told him as much of the story as he would hear.
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