us which call for a speedy arrangement."

"And which are very unlikely to be favored with it, Tony. Now, I have
n't a great deal of time to throw away, for I'm off to the country
to-night, so that pray let us understand each other at once. I shall
need, before Monday next, a sum of not less than eight thousand pounds.
Hacket, my man of law, will show you such securities as I possess. Call
on him, and take your choice of them. I desire that our negotiation
should be strictly a matter between ourselves, because we live in
gossiping times, and I don't care to amuse the town with my private
affairs. Are you satisfied with this?"

"Eight thousand, in bills, of course, sir?"

"If you wish it!"

"At what dates?"

"The longer the better."

"Shall we say in two sums of four thousand each,--six months and nine?"

"With all my heart. When can I touch the coin?"

"Now, sir; this moment if you desire it."

"Write the check, then, Tony," said he, hurriedly.

"There, sir, there are the bills for your signature," said Fagan. "Will
you have the goodness to give me a line to Hacket about the securities?"

"Of course," said he; and he at once wrote the note required. "Now for
another point, Tony: I am going to ask a favor of you. Are you in a
gracious mood this evening?"

The appeal was sudden enough to be disconcerting, and so Fagan felt it,
for he looked embarrassed and confused in no ordinary degree.

"Come, I see I shall not be refused," said my father, who at once saw
that the only course was the bold one. "It is this: we are expecting
some friends to spend a few days with us at Castle Carew, a kind of
house-warming to that new wing; we have done our best to gather around
us whatever our good city boasts of agreeability and beauty, and with
tolerable success. There is, I may say, but one wanting to make our
triumph complete. With her presence I 'd wager a thousand guineas that
no country mansion in Great Britain could contest the palm with us."

Fagan grew deadly pale as he listened, then flushed deeply, and a second
time a sickly hue crept over his features as, in a voice barely above a
whisper, he said,--

"You mean my daughter, sir?"

"Of course I do, Tony. A man need n't read riddles to know who is the
handsomest girl in Dublin. I hope you 'll not deny us the favor of her
company. My wife will meet her at Bray; she'll come into town, if you
prefer it, and take her up here."

"Oh, no, sir; not here," said Faga