icant glance with O'Mara, said slightly
to Lady Emily:

'Will your ladyship excuse me for a moment? I have a word to say to
Captain N----, and will, with your permission, immediately rejoin you.'

He bowed, and walking rapidly on, was in a few moments beside the object
of his and his patron's uneasiness.

Whatever Heathcote's object might be, he certainly had not yet declared
the secret, whose safety O'Mara had so naturally desired, for Captain
N---- appeared in good spirits; and on coming up to his sister and her
companion, he joined them for a moment, telling O'Mara, laughingly, that
an old quiz had come from the country for the express purpose of
telling tales, as it was to be supposed, of him (young O'Mara), in whose
neighbourhood he lived.

During this speech it required all the effort which it was possible to
exert to prevent O'Mara's betraying the extreme agitation to which his
situation gave rise. Captain N----, however, suspected nothing, and
passed on without further delay.

Dinner was an early meal in those days, and Lady Emily was obliged to
leave the Park in less than half an hour after the unpleasant meeting
which we have just mentioned.

Young O'Mara and, at a sign from him, Dwyer having escorted the lady
to the door of Colonel O'Mara's house, pretended an engagement, and
departed together.

Richard O'Mara instantly questioned his comrade upon the subject of his
anxiety; but Dwyer had nothing to communicate of a satisfactory nature.
He had only time, while the captain had been engaged with Lady Emily and
her companion, to say to Heathcote:

'Be secret, as you value your existence: everything will be right, if
you be but secret.'

To this Heathcote had replied: 'Never fear me; I understand what I am
about.'

This was said in such an ambiguous manner that it was impossible to
conjecture whether he intended or not to act upon Dwyer's exhortation.
The conclusion which appeared most natural, was by no means an agreeable
one.

It was much to be feared that Heathcote having heard some vague report
of O'Mara's engagement with Lady Emily, perhaps exaggerated, by the
repetition, into a speedily approaching marriage, had become alarmed for
his daughter's interest, and had taken this decisive step in order to
prevent, by a disclosure of the circumstances of his clandestine union
with Ellen, the possibility of his completing a guilty alliance with
Captain N----'s sister. If he entertained the suspicions