Larry was sitting by Walter’s couch.

“Well, Walter, how are you feeling?”

“Oh, I am all right now,” Walter said, “since Larry brought me word that the boats have brought everyone across safely.  I was anxious before, you know.”

“How does your shoulder feel?”

“It throbs a bit, father; but that is no odds.”

“Mrs. Conyers is coming in to see you.  She is going to establish herself here, and O’Moore and I are moving out.  She is going, for the present, to be head nurse.”

“That will be nice,” Walter said; “but I sha’n’t want much nursing.”

“I don’t know, Walter.  A downright cut with a heavy cavalry sword is not a light matter, even when it falls on the shoulder instead of the head.  But you had better not talk much now, but, when you have seen Mrs. Conyers, try and get off to sleep.

“Larry, do you see to moving our things out, at once.”

So saying, Captain Davenant left the room, and a minute later Mrs. Conyers came in.  She took the left hand that Walter held out to her.

“God bless you, my boy!” she said, softly.  “I shall never forget what Claire and I owe to you.  All my life I shall be your grateful debtor, and some day I hope that my husband will be able to thank you for what you did for us.

“And now,” she went on, in a lighter tone, “I am going to be your nurse, and my first order is that you lie quite quiet, and try to get to sleep.  I will make you some barley water, and put it by your bedside.  That is all I can do for you, till the surgeon comes to examine your wound.  Claire wanted to come in to thank you herself, but the child has gone through enough for one night, so I have sent her straight to bed.  I do not want her on my hands, too.”

A few minutes later Larry, having established the two officers in another cottage, returned and took his place by Walter’s bedside, while Mrs. Conyers went out to see to the comfort of the other wounded.  Half an hour later, a surgeon arrived from Limerick.  Two of the cases were pronounced at once to be hopeless, the other two he thought might recover.  Walter’s wound he said was a severe one, but in no way dangerous.  The sword had probably glanced off something as it descended, so that the edge had not fallen straight on the shoulder bone.  It had, however, nearly taken off the arm.  Had it fallen truly, it would probably have been fatal.

After he had attended to the more serious cases, he dressed the wounds of the other men, several of which were quite as severe as that of Walter, although they had not incapacitated the men from making their way down to the boats.

Captain Davenant had kept a watch towards the Hall.  And as, in an hour after they had crossed, no sheet of flame was seen arising thence, he was able to tell Mrs. Conyers that he thought that it was safe, and that either Mr. Conyers himself must have accompanied the troops, who would by this time have unquestionably arrived there, or that some officer, aware that the owner of the house was a friend, and with sufficient authority over the men to prevent its destruction, must be in command.