le Returns

been so altered in favour of the Roman Catholics, and against the Protestants, that a priest can do almost just what he likes. I do not think that he would scruple for an instant to marry them if he thought it likely that his prey would escape from him. My own opinion is that there has been no marriage as yet, though I know that others think that there has been." The expression of this opinion from "others" which had reached Lady Mary's ears consisted of an assurance from her own Protestant lady's maid that that wicked, guzzling old Father Marty would marry the young couple as soon as look at them, and very likely had done so already. "I cannot say," continued Lady Mary, "that I actually know anything against the character of Miss O'Hara. Of the mother we have very strange stories here. They live in a little cottage with one maid-servant, almost upon the cliffs, an

ther had she nor had her husband any power over the young man, except such as arose from his own good feeling. The Earl could not disinherit him;-could not put a single acre beyond his reach. Let him marry whom he might he must be Earl Scroope of Scroope, and the woman so married must be the Countess of Scroope. There was already a Lady Neville about the world whose existence was a torture to them; and if this young man chose also to marry a creatu

"It will be better for me," he said, "to turn my face to the wall and die before I know it." He took to his bed, and they of his household did think that he would die. He hardly spoke

e must do as it lists him with the fortune

ade to gallop, almost expected to be told on his arrival that his uncle had departed to his rest. In the hall he encountered Mrs. Bunce the housekeeper. "We think my lord is a little better," said Mrs. Bunce almost in a whisper. "My lord took a little broth in the middle of the day, and we believe he has slept since." Then he passed on

. Lady Sophia and Mr. Mellerby were up in London, but Sophie was not to join them till May. As it happened, however, she was dining at the parsonage this evening. She must have been in the house when Neville arrived, but he had not seen her. "Is she going to live here?" he asked,

was nothing for him to do but to kick his heels. But before he went to bed his ennui was dissipated by a full explanation of all his aunt's terrors. She crept down to him at about

ing gossiping old maid

y Scroope. But this was a question which Fred Neville was not prepared

am not

will not condesce

ord must be

ruth in that suspicion." To this he would not condescend to reply, but sat glowering at her as though in wrath that any question should be asked him about his private concerns. "You must feel, Fr

he has,-been v

would not deny that he was angry. "I should not do s

nd I have answered it. I do not

e is no truth in all th

an impertine

the world you were anxious, you would not think anyone impertinent who endeavoured f

I will not allow the word disreputable t

eople of the n

ourse

e is a-yo

es as to whom I shall not choo

you admire, and I should be very foolish were I to make inquiries of you or of anybody else concerning them. I am the last person to be so injudi

myself to anythin

arriage that should be disgraceful to the pos

wil

are the old families of the country to be kept up, and the old blood maintained if young men,

that I have for

e no promise of marriage to Miss O'Hara?" He sat dumb, but still looking at her with that

e it will be much better that no

now been elicited. He was not married but he was engaged;-engaged to a girl of whom he knew nothing, a Roman Catholic, Irish, fatherless, almost nameless,-to one who had never been seen in good society, one of

en, such as Fred Neville, very commonly made such promises with very little thought of keeping them. She did not expect young men to be governed by principles such as those to which young ladies are bound to submit themselves. She almost supposed that heaven had a different code of laws for men and women in her condition of life, and that salvation was offered on ver

'Haras were vulgar and false impostors, persons against whom she could put out all her strength without any prick of conscience. Women in such matters are always hard against women, and especially hard against those whom they believe to belong to a class below their own. Certainly no feeling of mercy would induce her to hold her hand in this task of saving her husband's nephew from an ill-a

g more for the present that could serve the purpose which

sorry to

. For the last two days the doct

d to find th

breakfast. He is most anxious to see you. I think s

w why you sh

him to-morrow about this affa

unless he speaks

oubt he will do so before you leave us. I

to him that he cared not at all whether he did or did not see her. All his brightest thoughts were away in County Clare, on the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic. They might say what they liked to him, but he would never be untrue to the girl whom he had left there. His aunt had spoken of the "affair of-the Iris

er forty feet long, with dark flock paper and dark curtains, with dark painted wainscoating below the paper, and huge dark mahogany furniture. On the walls hung the portraits of the Scroopes for many generations past, some in armour, some in their robes of state, ladies with stiff bodices and high head-dresses, not beauties by Lely or warriors and statesmen by Kneller, but wooden, stiff, ungainly, hideous figures, by artists whose works had, unfortunately, been more enduring than their names. He was pacing up and down the room with a candle in his hand, trying to realize to h

I y

pe has been sleeping in the little room next to

think of my u

r; but he is

see

, Mr. Neville, and so much obliged to you f

urse I

ly ordered that he should be kept quiet. Good-night. I am so ver

his uncle? Could it be that she also had been told the story of Kate O'Har