"
"I always suspected you of having a hand in that matter, Terence."
"Did you, Colonel?" Terence said, in a tone of surprise. "Well, as,
fortunately, I was sitting here when this row began, you cannot suspect me
this time."
"I don't know; you and Ryan came in together, which was suspicious in
itself, and it was not two minutes after you had come in that the rumpus
began. Just give me a wink, lad, if you had a finger in the matter. You
know you are safe with me; besides, ain't you a staff-officer now, and
outside my jurisdiction altogether?"
"Well, Colonel, a wink does not cost anything," Terence said, "so here is
to ye."
He exchanged a wink with the colonel, who burst into a fit of laughter so
loud that he startled all the other officers, who at once came up to hear
the joke.
"It is just a little story that Terence has been telling me," the colonel
said, when he had recovered his breath, "about the scare last night, and
how a young woman, with next to nothing on her, threw her arms round his
neck and begged him to save her. The poor young fellow blushed up to his
eyelids with the shame of it in the public streets!"
CHAPTER IX
THE RETREAT
O'Grady asked no questions, but presently whispered to Terence: "Faith, ye
did it well, me boy."
"Did what well, O'Grady?"
"You need not tell me about it, Terence.
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