appointment, shame, and ruin were fast gathering round him. He
was, indeed, every way hemmed in and hampered. It was clear that this
stranger was not a man to be either cajoled or bullied. He read a
spirit--a sparkle--in his eye, which taught him that the brutality
inflicted upon the unfortunate Crackenfudge, and such others as he knew
he might trample on, would never do here.

As matters stood, however, he thought the only chance of throwing the
stranger off his guard was to take him by a _coup de main_. With this
purpose, he went over, and sitting down to his desk before the drawer
that contained his pistols, thus placing himself between the stranger
and the door, he turned upon him a look as stern and determined as
he could possibly assume; and we must remark here, that he omitted
no single consideration connected with the subject he was about to
introduce that was calculated to strengthen his determination.

"Now, sir," said he, "in the first place, may I take the liberty
of asking where you have concealed my daughter? I will have no
equivocation, sir," he added, raising his voice--"no evasion, no
falsehood, but in one plain word, or in as many as may be barely
necessary, say where you have concealed Miss Gourlay."

"Sir Thomas Gourlay," replied the other, "I can understand your
feelings upon this subject, and I can overlook much that you may say in
connection with it; but neither upon that nor any other, can I permit
the imputation of falsehood against myself. You are to observe this,
sir, and to forbear the repetition of such an insult. My reply is
brief and candid: I know not where Miss Gourlay is, upon my honor as a
gentleman."

"Do you mean to tell me, sir, that you and she did not elope in the same
coach on Tuesday night last?"

"I do, sir; and I beg to tell you, that such a suspicion is every way
unworthy of your daughter."

"Take care, sir; you were seen together in Dublin."

"That is true. I had the honor of travelling in the same coach with
her to the metropolis; but I was altogether unconscious of being her
fellow-traveller until we arrived in Dublin. A few brief words of
conversation I had with her in the coach, but nothing more."

"And you presume to say that you know not where she is--that you are
ignorant of the place of her retreat'?"

"Yes, I presume to say so, Sir Thomas; I have already pledged my honor
as a gentleman to that effect, and I shall not repeat it."

"As a gentleman!--but ho