d the little girl, the Earl's daughter, but they
are too grand to care for what a poor boy like Dermot has to say. I
will go, therefore, to Mr Jamieson, and get him to read the letter. He
is kind and gentle too, and may be he will give me a word of comfort
about my boy. Still I cannot understand why Dermot should have gone
away without saying a word of farewell to his poor old mother."

Kathleen, for a wonder, gladly consented to rest at the widow's cottage
till the next morning. They then together took their way to the
vicarage. The widow found Mr Jamieson about to leave the house, yet he
kindly stopped to hear what she had to say to him. She presented the
letter, and telling him that she had only received it on the previous
evening, begged him to read it to her. He at once recognised the
handwriting of his pupil.

"Ah, Widow O'Neill," he exclaimed, "I find by this that your son is
away, and you must be prepared not to see him for some time. I scarcely
like to say that the lad has acted wrongly in what he has done. He
tells you, Mrs O'Neill, how he loves you, that he would die for you,
and that his great object is to go into the world, and to make a
fortune, and come home and support you. He says that he could not bring
himself to go through the pain of wishing you farewell. He would rather
go away without saying a word about it, or letting you know what were
his intentions, for he is sure you would not have prevented him, and he
would do anything to save you and himself from the agony of the parting
moment. I believe him, widow. I am sure that he has a gentle and a
loving heart, and that he speaks the truth when he gives that as his
reason for going away without seeing you. Yet it was to save you,
rather than himself, for he must have known when he left his home, that
he was gazing his last at you for many a day. Of one thing I am
certain, that his heart will not change, his love will not alter, and
that wherever he goes, you will be the chief person he will always think
of, and that he will look forward to seeing you again, as the greatest
joy which can be allowed him on earth."

The good minister believed that he spoke the truth, when he thus
attempted to comfort the bereaved mother. The widow returned home
feeling more consoled than could have been expected, for the loss of
Dermot. Kind Miss O'Reilly continued to pay her frequent visits, and
while the young ladies remained at the castle, they rod