O’Hara looked round and saw that Miss Betty had discreetly vanished. He sat gingerly down on the edge of the bed.

“Ay. I took the mare over as soon as I had your letter⁠—and a fine scare you gave me, Jack, I can tell you! She recognised him, and I accosted him.”

“I’ll swear you did not get much satisfaction from Jim!” said my lord. “Did he look very foolish?”

“To tell ye the truth, I thought the man was half daft, and wondered whether I’d been after making a mistake. But in the end I got him to believe what I was trying to tell him, and he has taken the mare, and will bring your baggage along this evening. By the way, John, I told him of our little meeting, and of your pistols being unloaded. He said ’twas his fault, and ye never saw aught to touch his face! Put out was not the word for it.”

“I suppose so. Look here, Miles, this is a damned funny affair!”

“What happened to you exactly?”