to the terrors she passed through.

One night the earl, wandering about in the anomalous condition of
neither ghost nor genuine mortal, came suddenly upon what he took for a
huge animal in wait to devour. He was not terrified, for he was
accustomed to such things, and thought at first it was not of this
world: he had no doubt of the reality of his visions, even when he knew
they were invisible to others, and even in his waking moments had begun
to believe in them as much as in the things then evident to him--or
rather, perhaps, to disbelieve equally in both. He approached to see
what it was, and stood staring down upon the mass. Gently it rose and
confronted him--if confronting that may be called where the face
remained so undefined--for Donal took care to keep his plaid over his
head: he had hope in the probable condition of the earl! He turned from
him and walked away.

CHAPTER LXX.

A PLOT.

But his lordship had his suspicions, and took measures to confirm or
set them at rest--with the result that he concluded Donal madly in love
with his niece, and unable, while she was ill, to rest anywhere but,
with the devotion of a savage, outside her door: if he did not take
precautions, the lout would oust the lord! Ever since Donal spoke so
plainly against his self-indulgence, he had not merely hated but feared
the country lad. He recognized that Donal feared nothing, had no
respect of persons, would speak out before the world. He was doubtful
also whether he had not allowed him to know more than it was well he
should know. It was time to get rid of him--only it must be done
cautiously, with the appearance of a good understanding! If he had him
out of the house before she was able to see him again, that would do!
And if in the meantime she should die, all would be well! His distrust,
once roused, went farther than that of his son. He had not the same
confidence in blue blood; he knew a few things more than
Forgue--believed it quite possible that the daughter of a long descent
of lords and ladies should fall in love with a shepherd-lad. And as no
one could tell what might have to be done if the legal owner of the
property persisted in refusing her hand to the rightful owner of it,
the fellow might be seriously in the way!

Arctura slowly recovered. She had not yet left her room, but had been a
few hours on the couch every day for a fortnight, and the doctor, now
sanguine of her final recovery, began to talk of car