necessity for an investigation before it com menced, had he been aware of the circumstances that had taken place; but a communication from the Flushing contrabandist, who had saved his life on the night of the quarrel with Fitzmaurice, and who was then sojourning at Waterford, had called him suddenly away, the morning after he had visited Aylmer at Kilavariga. He had been induced to take this step by the information given him by Sandy Culhane, that a marriage was contemplated by Fitzmaurice between Aylmer and his daughter; a circumstance confirmed, in some degree, by the extraordinary care which he observed had been taken of the Aylmer property. This arrangement was not only unpleasing to him in itself, but doubly so from its interference with a long and anxiously cherished design of his own, with respect to the fascinating and accomplished daughter of his foreign friend, Miss Quisana Van Huggel Schneiderdrugger. "I perceive," Mr. Aylmer continued, as a slight flush passed over the brow and cheek of his son, at the allusion to Katharine Fitzmaurice, "I see that I was wrong in my calculation, and so there is an end of the scheme at once. Totally ignorant as I was of my son's character and disposition, and rather induced to believe, from his intimate connexion with the family of Kilavariga, that I should at least have wounded feelings and severed and bleeding affections to contend with, it is hardly surprising that I should have preferred making a confidant of the ancient and faithful servant of our house, immediately on my arrival. All occasion for secrecy is now, however, done away with, as my old friend Evans, of Evanstown, informs me that I have nothing further to apprehend from the possibility of evidence being yet found to establish the charge once in existence against me." The old man was correct in his anticipations on this head. The next morning he placed himself voluntarily under arrest, and was presently after discharged in consequence of the non-appearance of the prosecutors. The shock which Fitzmaurice had received was not so immediately fatal as might have been expected. He lived long enough to be re-established in peace and good neighbourhood with the friend of his youth; and to join the hands of his daughter and her lover in the holy clasp of authorised affection. "Well, Mick," said Culhane, addressing the aged herdsman, as the wedding party passed near them in their return, "there's the thief with the brogues and pavers, that you traced from Kilavariga the night of the great snow. Which o' the three now do you think will dance the best moneen at the hauling home?" "The master thin, agen the world! Ah! the times for grinding and footing are gone by, but the Aylmers were always great hands at the feet, and av there's a relic of ould times in the country, it will be shown that night at Bally-» Aylmer." THE HAND AND WORD. Porque ninguno De mi venganza tome En el ancho mar sepulchro, CALDERON'S El mayor Monstruo los Zelos. Vengeance is here the right of none- In the broad waves that heave and boom Beneath this tower I seek my tomb. |