He was not in the least awed by the presence of the great man.

What is rank to the man who honours everything human, has no desire to look what he is not, has nothing to conceal and nothing to compass, is fearful of no to-morrow, and does not respect riches! Toward such ends of being the tide of Donal's life was at least setting.

So he sat neither fidgeting nor staring, but quietly taking things in.
The earl raised himself, pushed his writing from him, turned towards him, and said with courtesy, "Excuse me, Mr.Grant; I wished to talk to you with the ease of duty done." More polite his address could not have been, but there was a something between him and Donal that was not to be passed a--nameless gulf of the negative.
"My time is at your lordship's service," replied Donal, with the ease that comes of simplicity.
"You have probably guessed why I sent for you ?" "I have hoped, my lord." There was something of old-world breeding about the lad that commended him to the earl.

Such breeding is not rare among Celt-born peasants.
"My sons told me that they had met a young man in the grounds--" "For which I beg your lordship's pardon," said Donal.

"I did not know the place was forbidden." "I hope you will soon be familiar with it.