down the scale with one old maid. Necessity may excuse the nonentity of the one; the other must be traced to obstinacy, blindness, and wilful perverseness."

D'Arcy shook his head: the theme struck at the very root of his own inward ills: he could not resist saying-" A too confiding heart, cast back upon itself, surely may acquit from all such imputa

tion."

"Faith, I think not!" replied the admiral; "'tis the last possible plea to be urged if the object be worthless, 'tis worse than injustice to measure all by one standard."

"Then you think the heart may be called back-may be transferred at will? You think the void may be filled up; the mortification, the disappointment, the total desolation of spirit, the-the-" D'Arcy ceased; and but for a confused noise in the hall, and the sudden opening of the door, the tremour of nerve had betrayed him.

"M'Dermot !"

"M'Dermot !" exclaimed the admiral, and all was forgotten in the sudden joy which rushed upon his heart; for M'Dermot, bowing, and glowing, and chuckling with inward glee, stood in the door-way. "Where is your master? Where is my

dear-dear boy ?"

"Jist set me down at the stile he did; and here I am, blessed be God, meself and me master, once more, safe and sound at the darlen Elms." And he stooped, as he spoke, to caress Friend and Dash, curvetting and leaping around him in glad recognition.

"Your master," repeated the admiral, springing forward-" Where-where is your master ?"

6

"That is, me master will be here in a twinklin; me master is as good as here, thinkin himself might have met your honour at the Tile-house.- Terence,' says he; good luck to his honour, he might have saved the tellin, run down to the Elms,' says he. Arrah! and when me

6

ten

ten toes did but touch the dust o' the earth, meself did run jist as though the divil or the ghost of my grandmother had been at the heels o' me."

"Pshaw! pshaw ! let your grandmother rest. What did captain Beresford bid you tell me?"

But the question of the admiral fell as it were upon empty air; for Terence, awakening from first excitement, had just recognised major D'Arcy; and putting the dogs aside, sprung to the centre of the apartment, and stood with eyes and mouth distended, and such an expression of ludicrous wonderment upon his countenance, that even D'Arcy smiled.

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"Och, the cratur! major D'Arcy, dear!" then recollecting himself, he stepped many paces back, bowing, and grinning, and displaying his white even teeth. 'By the powers, 'tis the bone and flesh o' him. Arrah! and was it kind, to travel the selfsame road, and not so much as jist to stop and to say, good mornin to you? What'll

me

me master be after sayin, when he hears tell on't ?"

"Fear not, Terence," said the major; "I shall soon make peace with your master. Now for your master's message to admiral Leslie."

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Message, your honour. By me soul, I'll be axin meself; for the sight o' the Elms, dancing jigs like afore me eyes, wiped it clane out o' the brain o' me. 'Terence,' says he." And Terence stood with his hand raised to his brow in moody thought; then looking up despairingly, 6 ay, Terence,' says he, ' run down to the Elms,' says he-and ill luck to me, the divil a peg, your honour, can I move further; so if your honour plases, I'll jist be after runnin down to the Tile-house, and fetch the message piping-hot from the mouth o' the master's self."

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"No, no, M'Dermot," and the admiral spoke somewhat pettishly," there is too much time lost already. I'll walk to the Tile-house myself."

"Your

"Your honour is not over fractious with me, entirely," and poor Terence looked up deprecatingly in the face of the admiral; " your honour, I couldn't help the forgetfulness-like tumblin over me, any way. Stand fast till I come back, and I will run like fun, plase God.”

Stay," said the admiral, sternly. "I tell you, man, I will go myself." And he rang the bell, and ordered his boots, hat, and cane.

Terence moved not a step; he stood twiddling his thumbs, and leering from under his eyes, to catch the cue of the admiral's humour; and when he saw, or fancied he saw, a lurking smile-" Your honour, now only to think on't," he said, coaxingly; "weeks and months since we started for heathenish Lunnon, why the poor brute-bastes, here, good luck to them! are ready to jump down the throat o' me, skin and all, they are; and all for joy, I guess. Sure then, your honour will be plased not to marvel, that the love

and