o him, and
raising his left arm, showed him the child's initials distinctly marked
on the under part of it, together with a cross and the family crest; all
so plainly and neatly executed, that the father was surprised at it.

Nothing, however, happened at that time; vigilance began to relax as
suspicion diminished, until one morning, about eight months afterwards,
it was found that the child had disappeared. It is unnecessary to add,
that every possible step was taken to discover him. Searches were made,
the hue and cry was up, immense rewards were offered; but all in vain.
From that day forth neither trace nor tidings of him could be found, and
in the course of time he was given up, like the heir of the property,
altogether for lost.

CHAPTER XXXII. Discovery of the Baronet's Son

--Who, however, is Shelved for a Time.

Lord Dunroe, as had already been agreed upon between him and her father,
went directly to that worthy gentleman, that he might make a faithful
report of the interview.

"Well, Dunroe," said the baronet, "what's the news? How did it go off?"

"Just as we expected," replied the other. "Vapors, entreaties, and
indignation. I give you my honor, she asked me to become her advocate
with you, in order to get released from the engagement. That was rather
cool, wasn't it?"

"And what did you say?"

"Why, the truth is, I conducted the affair altogether on a new
principle. I maintained that love should not be a necessary element in
marriage; vindicated the rights of honest indifference, and said that it
was against my system to marry any woman who was attached to me."

"Why, I remember preaching some such doctrine, in a bantering way, to
her myself."

"Guided by this theory, I met her at every turn; but, nevertheless,
there was a good deal of animated expostulation, tears, solicitations,
and all that."

"I fear you have mismanaged the matter some way; if you have followed
my advice, and done it with an appearance of common sense, so much the
better. This would have required much tact, for Lucy is a girl very
difficult to be imposed upon by appearances. I am the only person who
can do so, but! that is because I approach her aided by my knowledge of
her filial affection. As it is, however, these things are quite common.
My own wife felt much the same way with myself, and yet we lived as
happily as most people. Every young baggage must have her scenes and her
sacrifices. Ah! what a knack they ha