Though dimly and dubiously, Geraldine began now to apprehend something of lady Louisa's meaning. Her breath came thick, her eyes almost lost the power of distinguishing, and she could scarcely preserve herself from fainting, when lady Louisa held up to her astonished sight the signed instrument that pronounced the recall and pardon of Gerald Southwell Fitz-Clare" And this is your work!” she exclaimed, as soon as she found breath to speak; and then throwing herself on lady Louisa's bosom, relieved her full heart, by shedding a torrent of tears. When a little recovered, her ladyship tried to smile away her emotion." My work!" she gaily repeated. "I desire such a word may never stray beyond the sacred precincts of this boudoir. Why you would make me the queen of intri guantes, and ascribe to me effects far be yond my feeble powers to accomplish. No, no, dear girl! it is the work of persons far abler to confer benefits than I am. I set before them the many-many mitigating circumstances in your father's case. A favourable conjuncture happened to present itself; sir Charles Southwell had it in his power to benefit a friend of administration, in return for any obligation conferred on another branch of his family. I recalled to memory the distant period at which the offence was committed, and the improbability that lenity, at this juncture, could be productive of evil consequences. This is all I did, and for the rest—” "But when-what-how?" interrupted the blessed but bewildered Geraldine; "you must not attempt to disguise from me, my dearest benefactress, how much I am obliged to you.” "Basta, I shall not indulge you in particulars; but remember the noble letter you wrote me from the Black Rock, de scriptive of your determination to act with frankness, in spite of the opposition of O'Melvyl. Remember I owed you some little little reparation for our bouderie at Meadowscourt, and be satisfied." Too happy to be gay, Geraldine, though pressed to spend the remainder of the day with lady Louisa, after a long and delightful conversation, requested to be excused from joining the general circle, as she feared not to be able to command that serenity of spirits necessary for her appearance there. Lady Louisa readily accepted her excuse, and they parted, with a mutual promise on the morrow to meet again. Consigned to the solitude of her pillow, Geraldine at length had leisure to reflect and be happy. To be restored to a father -to a name to O'Melvyl! Her heart name—to overflowed with gratitude to the Giver of all good, as she now contemplated in one view, and now numbered over, in detail, how many blessings she had reason to be thankful for. But as that heart must always have something to sigh for, she at length length fell asleep, exclaiming-" How many tedious weeks must intervene be fore I can embrace my father!" CHAPTER III. Oh! bless'd are the lovers and friends who shall live The days of thy glory to see! Moore. Smile on thy green hills-Erin, smile! Thy woes-thy wars, shall cease; An angel to thy troubled isle Bears concord, joy, and peace. Hon. W. R. SPENCER. I PASS over the interval between the recall and the return of Gerald Fitz-Clare, merely observing, that it was marked by the permitted renewal of every attention on the part of lord O'Melvyl, who, while gazing with triumphant rapture on the beauties of his destined bride, exclaimed -"Surely, "Surely, surely my father now can no longer withhold his consent!" Meanwhile his mistress tormented herself with imagining every possible vicissitude by which people, endued with a lively fancy, pay the penalty for those fairy treasures with which that faculty frequently endows them. Her father was no longer an exile, it was true; but was it certain he would not continue a voluntary one? Had he formed any new connexions unknown to her or lady Louisa? Perhaps he had lived among persons who had fostered and increased every principle that was erroneous in his early life. He might set himself vehemently against lord Beaudesert and lord O'Melvyl as courtiers. Every day she might have the misery of seeing her father more inimical to her happiness than ever lady Louisa Southwell had been. She might in short, she quite bewildered herself in a maze of con jectures respecting this unknown father; and as the time approached when she could |