stant removal, they laughed it to scorn. In the course of
the following week, they said, it was their intention to remove; but to
think of breaking up their family on a Christmas Eve, with a guest in
their house too!--the thing was out of the question. A few days made no
great difference; and their mind was fixed not to disturb their family
or their guest, then.

Soon after Mr. Temple had gone, Julia Purcel met M'Carthy in the hall,
and asked him for a moment to the dining-room, in a voice which was
tremulous with agitation.

"Alas! Frank," she exclaimed, whilst the tears streamed from her eyes,
"I feel a weight like that of death upon my heart. I fear there is some
dreadful calamity hanging over this family."

"Why, my dear Julia," he replied, wiping the tears from her eyes, "will
you suffer yourself to be overcome by a weakness of mind so unworthy
of you? The morning is dark and gloomy, and calculated, apart from
such silly anticipations--pardon me, Julia--to fill the mind with low
spirits. Cheer up, my dear girl; is not this season, in a peculiar
manner, set apart for cheerfulness and enjoyment? Why, then, will you
indulge in this weak and foolish melancholy?"

"I would not feel as I do," she replied, "but the truth is--now do not
scold me, Frank--in fact I had an omen of calamity last night!"

"An omen! how is that?" he asked. "On bidding my papa and John
goodnight, as I was going to bed, about eleven o'clock, I saw them both
standing below me at the foot of the stairs, in the hall. I started,
and turning again into the drawing-room, where I had just left them,
saw that there they certainly stood, without scarcely having had time to
change their position."

"A mere physical illusion, my dear Julia; nothing else."

"But is it not said," she added, "that to see the likeness of an
individual late at night is an omen of almost immediate death?"

"It has been said so, I admit, my dear Julia, as have fifty thousand
follies equally nonsensical. But to hear you, Julia, talk in this
manner! upon my word, I'm surprised at it."

"You will not think of leaving us, dear Frank, until we get to a place
of safety?"

"Unquestionably not; but you are alarming yourself unnecessarily."

"Well, perhaps I am," she said, gaining confidence from his firmness of
manner; "but I assure you, Frank, I am not timid, nor a coward. I
can load a gun, pistol, or blunderbuss, and what is better still, can
discharge them without shrinking