n M'Shane, sir," replied I, and requesting leave, I
broke the seal. It contained another. I read Kathleen's, and then hastily
opened the other. It was from Nattee, or Lady H. de Clare, and ran as
follows:--

"Japhet Newland,--Fleta is the daughter of Sir William de Clare.
Dearly has my husband paid for his act of folly and wickedness,
and to which you must know I never was a party.

Yours,

Nattee."

The letter from Kathleen added more strange information. Lady de Clare,
after the funeral of her husband, had sent for the steward, made every
necessary arrangement, discharged the servants, and then had herself
disappeared, no one knew whither; but it was reported that somebody very
much resembling her had been seen travelling south in company with a
gang of gipsies. I handed both letters over to Lady de Clare and Mr
Masterton.

"Poor Lady de Clare!" observed the mother.

"Nattee will never leave her tribe," observed Cecilia quietly.

"You are right, my dear," replied I. "She will be happier with her tribe
where she commands as a queen, than ever she was at the castle."

Mr Masterton then entered into a detail with Lady de Clare as to what
steps ought immediately to be taken, as the heirs-at-law would otherwise
give some trouble; and having obtained her acquiescence, it was time to
withdraw. "Mr Newland, I trust you will consider us as your warmest
friends. I am so much in your debt, that I never can repay you; but I am
also in your debt in a pecuniary way--that, at least, you must permit me
to refund."

"When I require it, Lady de Clare, I will accept it. Do not, pray, vex
me by the proposition. I have not much happiness as it is, although I am
rejoiced at yours and that of your daughter."

"Come, Lady de Clare, I must not allow you to tease my protege, you do
not know how sensitive he is. We will now take our leave."

"You will come soon," said Cecilia, looking anxiously at me.

"You have your mother, Cecilia," replied I; "what can you wish for more?
I am a--nobody--without a parent."

Cecilia burst into tears; I embraced her, and Mr Masterton and I left
the room.

Chapter LI

I return to the gay world, but am not well received; I am quite
disgusted with it and honesty, and everything else.

How strange, now that I had succeeded in the next dearest object of my
wishes, after ascertaining my own parentage, that I should have felt so
miserable; but it was the