ld enough. I have got it at
home now. There it is, certifying that Gerald O'Carroll, the son
of James O'Carroll and his wife Elizabeth, was baptized by him on
the 6th of September, 1692."

"That is fortunate, indeed," Desmond exclaimed. "And now, tell me
how this uncle of mine received you."

"Faith, your honour, he was mightily put out, at first. He said
that I was an impostor, and that he would have me given in charge.
I told him that I had proofs that what I said was true, and that
there were many gentlemen, brother officers of Mr. James, who
would speak for me, and say in court that a son was born to his
brother before he died. He wanted to get out of me what proofs I
had, and who were the officers; but I told him that was my
business. Then he cooled down, and after a time he said that, if
he were to let it be known that Mr. James had left a son, the
estate would surely be confiscated, seeing that his father died as
a rebel fighting against the king; but that, as soon as the
persecutions had ceased, and it would be safe to do so, he would
say who the child was, and give him his rightful place. That
seemed reasonable enough, and so I left you with him, and have
always supposed that he kept his word; and that, as soon as it was
safe, he acknowledged you to be master of your father's estate."

"And now, Mrs. Rooney, I must think matters over, and see how I
had best proceed. I feel how much I owe to you, and, if I recover
my estates, you shall see that I am not ungrateful. Will you come
again tomorrow morning, and bring with you the certificate of my
baptism, and all the names that you can recollect of the officers
who were intimate with my father?"

Chapter 20: Gerald O'Carroll.

Mike, who had remained silent during the conversation between his
sister and Desmond, returned to the room after seeing her out.

"Well, Mike, you have rendered me many services, but this is the
greatest of all. Little did I think, when you said you had found
your sister, and that she was coming to me this morning, that she
would be able to clear up the mystery of my birth, and to place me
in a position to prove myself a son of James O'Carroll. I do not
say that I shall regain the estates. My having been in the Brigade
will certainly render it difficult for me to do so, though
possibly, with the patronage of Lord Godolphin, I may succeed. For
that, however, I care comparatively little. My object, in coming
here, was to obtain pr