de her father understand who had
been there, and obtained his consent to her proposed visit, which he
gave, saying at the time, "God knows, my dear, whether you'll ever
come back, for your brother's determined to part with the owld place
if he can, in spite of all your poor father can say to the contrary."

She then returned to her room, resuming her novel, and waiting with
what patience she could for Ussher's coming. About two o'clock he
made his appearance, and she was beginning gently to upbraid him for
being so late, when he stopped her, by saying,

"Well, Feemy, I have strange news for you this morning."

"Strange news, Myles! what is it? I hope it's good news."

Ussher had not quite his usual confidence and ease about him; he
seemed as if he had something to say which he almost feared to
disclose at once, and he did not give Feemy a direct answer.

"Why, as to that, it is, and it isn't. I suppose it's good news to
me,--at least I ought to think so; but I don't know what you'll think
of it."

Poor Feemy's face fell, and she sat down on the chair from which
she had risen, as if she had not strength to stand. Myles stood
still, with his back to the fire, trying to look as if he were not
disconcerted.

"Well, Myles, what is it? won't you tell me?" And then, when he
smiled, she said, "Why did you try and frighten me?"

"Frighten you! why you frightened yourself."

"But what is it, Myles?" and she walked up to him, and put her two
hands on his shoulders, and looked up in his face--"what is your
strange news?"

"In the first place, I am promoted to the next rank. I'm in the
highest now, next to a County Inspector."

"Oh! Myles, I'm so glad! but you couldn't but know that would be good
news to me;--but what else?"

"Why, they've sent me a letter from Dublin, with a lot of blarney
about praiseworthy energy and activity, and all that--"

"That's why they've promoted you: but you don't tell me all."

"No, that's not all: then they say they think there's reason why I'd
better not stay in this immediate neighbourhood."

"Ah! I thought so!" exclaimed the poor girl; "you're to go away out
of this!"

"And they say I'm to commence in the new rank at Cashel, in County
Tipperary."

Feemy for a time remained quiet. She was endeavouring to realize
to herself the idea that her lover was going away, and then trying
in her mind to comprehend whether it must follow naturally, as a
consequence from this, that he was