It was all one blaze of blue light, the sky above and
the water below, in which there was neither beauty nor variety. How
poor had been the life he had chosen! He had spent hour after hour in a
comfortless dirty boat, in company with a wretched ignorant creature, in
order that he might shoot a few birds and possibly a seal. All the world
had been open to him, and yet how miserable had been his ambition! And
now he could see no way out of the ruin he had brought upon himself.

When the time had come he rose from his seat and took the path down to
the cottage. At the corner of the little patch of garden ground attached
to it he met Mrs. O'Hara. Her hat was on her head, and a light shawl
was on her shoulders as though she had prepared herself for walking.
He immediately asked after Kate. She told him that Kate was within and
should see him presently. Would it not be better that they two should go
up on the cliffs together, and then say what might be necessary for the
mutual understanding of their purposes? "There should be no talking of
all this before Kate," said Mrs. O'Hara.

"That is true."

"You can imagine what she must feel if she is told to doubt. Lord
Scroope, will you not say at once that there shall be no doubt? You must
not ruin my child in return for her love!"

"If there must be ruin I would sooner bear it myself," said he. And then
they walked on without further speech till they had reached a point
somewhat to the right, and higher than that on which he had sat before.
It had ever been a favourite spot with her, and he had often sat there
between the mother and daughter. It was almost the summit of the cliff,
but there was yet a higher pitch which screened it from the north, so
that the force of the wind was broken. The fall from it was almost
precipitous to the ocean, so that the face of the rocks immediately
below was not in view; but there was a curve here in the line of the
shore, and a little bay in the coast, which exposed to view the whole
side of the opposite cliff, so that the varying colours of the rocks
might be seen. The two ladies had made a seat upon the turf, by moving
the loose stones and levelling the earth around, so that they could sit
securely on the very edge. Many many hours had Mrs. O'Hara passed upon
the spot, both summer and winter, watching the sunset in the west, and
listening to the screams of the birds. "There are no gulls now," she
said as she seated herself,--as though for a