wn_; and his next, after those who had been in some
degree connected with those painful circumstances in which he had been
involved previous to his trial and conviction. He found Mr. Brown and
Mr. Hastings much in the same state in which he left them. The latter,
who had been entrusted with all his personal and other property, under
certain conditions, that depended upon his return after the term of his
sentence should have expired, now restored to him, and again reinstated
him on the original terms into all his landed and other property,
together with such sums as had accrued from it during his absence,
so that he now found himself a wealthy man. Next to _Cooleen Bawn_,
however, one of his first inquiries was after Fergus Reilly, whom he
found domiciled with a neighboring middleman as a head servant, or kind
of under steward. We need not describe the delight of Fergus on once
more meeting his beloved relative at perfect liberty, and free from all
danger in his native land.

"Fergus," said Reilly, "I understand you are still a bachelor--how does
that come?"

"Why, sir," replied Fergus, "now that you know every thing about the
unhappy state of the _Cooleen Bawn_, surely you can't blame poor Ellen
for not desartin' her. As for me I cared nothing about any other girl,
and I never could let either my own dhrame, or what you said was
yours, out o' my head. I still had hope, and I still have, that she may
recover."

Reilly made no reply to this, for he feared to entertain the vague
expectation to which Fergus alluded.

"Well, Fergus," said he, "although I have undergone the sentence of a
convict, yet now, after my return, I am a rich man. For the sake of old
times--of old dangers and old difficulties--I should wish you to live
with me, and to attend me as my own personal servant or man. I shall get
you a suit of livery, and the crest of O'Reilly shall be upon it. I wish
you to attend upon me, Fergus, because you understand me, and because I
never will enjoy a happy heart, or one day's freedom from sorrow again.
All hope of that is past, but you will be useful to me--and that you
know."

Fergus was deeply affected at these words, although he was gratified
in the highest degree at the proposal. In the course of a few days he
entered upon his duties, immediately after which Reilly set out on his
journey to Monaghan, to see once more his beloved, but unhappy, Cooleen
Baton. On arriving at that handsome and hospitable town,