e a
man that was keeping a secret. To tell God's truth, sir, I never like a
burden of any kind; and whenever I can get a man that will carry a share
of it, I--"

"Tut! your honor, never mind him," said Pat. "What the deuce are you
at, Dandy? Do you want to prevent the gintleman from engagin' you? Never
mind him, sir; he's as honest as the sun."

"It matters not, Pat," said the stranger; "I like him. Are you willing
to take service with me for a short time, my good fellow?"

"If you could get any one to give you a caracther, sir, perhaps I
might," replied Dandy.

"How, sirrah! what do you mean?" said the stranger.

"Why, sir, that we humble folks haven't all the dishonesty to ourselves.
I think our superiors come in now and then for the lion's share of it.
There, now, is the Black Baronet."

"But you are not entering the service of the Black Baronet."

"No; but the ould scoundrel struck his daughter to-day, because she
wouldn't consent to marry that young profligate, Lord Dunroe; and has
her locked up besides."

The stranger had been standing with his back to the fire, when the Dandy
mentioned these revolting circumstances; for the truth was, that
Lucy's maid had taken upon her the office of that female virtue called
curiosity, and by the aid of her eye, her ear, and an open key-hole
was able to communicate to one or two of the other servants, in the
strictest confidence of course, all that had occurred during the
interview between father and daughter. Now it so happened, that Dandy,
who had been more than once, in the course of his visits, to the
kitchen, promised, as he said, to _metamurphy_ one of them into Mrs.
Dulcimer, _alias_ Murphy--that being his real name--was accidentally in
the kitchen while the dialogue lasted, and for some time afterwards; and
as the expectant Mrs. Dulcimer was one of the first to whom the secret
was solemnly confided, we need scarcely say that it was instantly
transferred to Dandy's keeping, who mentioned it more from honest
indignation than from any other motive.

It would be difficult to describe the combination of feelings that might
be read in the stranger's fine features--distress, anger, compassion,
love, and sorrow, all struggled for mastery. He sat down, and there was
an instant pause in the conversation; for both Dandy and his relative
felt that he was not sufficiently collected to proceed with it. They
consequently, after glancing with surprise at each other, remained