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ral: " peculiarity of circumstances rendered an introduction almost impossible before they quitted London: but I have so often listened to the panegyrics of Sydney, that I can almost fancy the amiable Elizabeth an old acquaintance."

"I credit much of his high colouring to the score of pity," observed the admiral. "It should seem, poor thing, that she is leaky and crazy, and ill rigged for the ocean of life."

“I fear she is in a deep consumption," said D'Arcy, feelingly. "Beresford cannot bear to think so; but the symptoms, from what I can learn, are deadly. She is so resigned, so saintlike; more of angel than mortal already."

"Poor thing! poor thing!" again ejaculated the admiral.

"I would to God we could save her," pursued D'Arcy. "I fear her death, come when it may, will be a heavy blow to my friend."

"Do you think his love is more than cousinly

cousinly love?" and the admiral looked up fearfully as he spoke.

“I think it is a love past telling,” replied D'Arcy; "a love, deep and irrevocably fixed; a love, mixed up and blended with all the after-hopes of life." The admiral groaned aloud. D'Arcy turned anxiously towards him. "What is the matter, sir? Sure you are ill."

"Worse-worse than ill, sir! Sprung a plank, sir! Foundered, sir, in sight of port!"

"What can you possibly mean?" and D'Arcy gazed inquisitively upon him.

"Mean; why, mean, that we shall live bachelors-die bachelors-go down to the grave bachelors. Ay, sir, that we shall slip cable, and scud for t'other world, and leave neither sign, copy, nor memorial— no, not so much as a cockboat to float over us."

Here was indeed the utter prostration of hope, the sudden tearing and rending away of all the fairy images which had so often

F 4

often hovered around his brain and nestled in his heart; and his look and the melancholy shake of his head proclaimed it.

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Nay, nay, the ban is not altogether pronounced upon us," said the major, laughing: "we may raise recruits for the next war, in spite of threatened barren.

ness."

"God grant it," aspirated the admiral; "it is the fervent wish and prayer of my soul. There is nought on earth, sir—' and he spoke with unwonted solemnity— "so desolate as a childless house. It is like a scathed tree, which the lightning of heaven has blasted: it yields neither shelter from the storm, nor shadow from the sunshine; it stands a shapeless useless record of wrath, for man to mourn and lament over! But stay, here is M'Dermot-" and he paused, for an abrupt turn in the lane brought Terence immediately before them.

"Your honour, all is strate and smooth, plase God! Me master and Mr. Beres

ford

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ford are at the heels o' me: and Miss Elizabeth would have comed herself, she would; but the swate soul, long life to her, is main tired. Terence,' says she, 'tell the rispected admiral, I do wish to make his acquaintance; but the spirit,' says she, beggars the strength,' says she. And so it did, your honour; for the colour in the face o' her, came and went, it did; and the breath in the body o' her, fluttered up and down, jist like a young bird, it did, when me master lifted her in his own strong arms from the carriage, it did. Och, your honour! she's a charmin cratur. If yerself had seen the white throat o' her, and the dark hair o' her, all wavin and shinin on me master's shoulder, it did, ye'd have borne it to yer dyin day, ye would. And then she looked up in me master's face, and smiled, she did, and I meself heard her say, so soft and musicallike, • Cousin Sydney, I am better already;' she did."

"Well-well, pray Heaven she keep

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So,"

so," said the admiral; and then, with elastic step, mocking the nerve and fire of youth, he bounded forward, for the breeze wafted approaching voices:-and when, in another moment, he clasped in his own, the extended hand, and met the glad eye, and marked the joy-flushed cheek of his adopted son, every care, and every lurking inquietude-like an impress upon the sand-was obliterated and swept away.

CHAP.