se this--to support me so far?"

"Egad, Hycy, that's a devilish pretty girl that attends us with the hot
water, and that waited on us at dinner--eh?"

"Come, come, Master Harry, 'ware spring-guns there; keep quiet. You
don't answer?"

"But, worthy Hycy, what if Maria should reject you--discard you--give
you to the winds?--eh?"

"Even in that case, provided you support me honestly, I shall hold
myself bound to keep my engagement with you, and put M'Mahon out as a
beggar."

"What! as a beggar?"

"Ay, as a beggar; and then no blame could possibly attach to you for
succeeding him, and certainly no suspicion."

"Hum! as a beggar. But the poor fellow never offended me. Confound it,
he never offended me, nor any one else as far as I know. I don't much
relish that, Hycy."

"It cannot be done though in any other way."

"I say--how do you call that girl?--Jenny, or Peggy, or Molly, or what?"

"I wish to heaven you could be serious, Harry. If not, I shall drop the
subject altogether."

"There now--proceed, O Hyacinthus."

"How can I proceed, when you won't pay attention to me; or, what is
more, to your own interests?"

"Oh! my own interests!--well I am alive to them."

"Is it a bargain, then?"

"It is a bargain, most ingenuous, most subtle, and most conscientious
Hycy! Enable me to enter upon the farm of Ahadarra--to get possession of
it--and calculate upon my most--let me see--what's the best word--most
strenuous advocacy. That's it: there's my hand upon it. I shall support
you, Hycy; but, at the same time, you must not hold me accountable for
my sister's conduct. Beyond fair and reasonable persuasion, she must be
left perfectly free and uncontrolled in whatever decision she may come
to."

"There's my hand, then, Harry; I can ask no more."

After Clinton had gone, Hycy felt considerably puzzled as to the manner
in which he had conducted himself during the whole evening. Sometimes he
imagined he was under the influence of liquor, for he had drunk pretty
freely; and again it struck him that he manifested an indifference to
the proposal made to him, which he only attempted to conceal lest Hycy
might perceive it. He thought, however, that he observed a seriousness
in Clinton, towards the close of their conversation, which could not
have been assumed; and as he gave himself a good deal of credit for
penetration, he felt satisfied that circumstances were in a proper
train, and likely, by a little management, to w