y a year, and now fortune bad at
last given him such an associate. Their sudden success seemed to warrant
the justice of the hope. Everything prospered with them since their new
league. If he did not gain an equal ascendancy over the daughter's mind
as he had acquired over the father's, still the ambitious future he
often pictured before her, dazzled and delighted her, and thus, erelong,
he contrived to obtain a degree of power, although of different kinds,
over both. From such an associate as Linton concealment was impossible;
and Rica soon saw himself completely at the mercy of a man who had
sifted every motive of his heart, and weighed every action of his life,
and at last became his pitiless, tyrannical master.

Rica's connection with Corrigan suggested to Linton's inventive mind
the possibility of succeeding to that estate for which already he
had perilled so much. His plan was to obtain from Corrigan a full
renunciation of his claim to the property, and then to take the
necessary steps to investigate the long dormant title. All their efforts
to discover the old man's residence were, however, vain; for although
they once obtained a clew to the fact, some information seemed to have
apprised the others of their danger, and their abode was immediately
changed.

It was with a strange thrill of mingled pain and pleasure Cashel heard
Rica speak of his daughter Mary,--of her he had deserted for so many a
year, and yet now yearned towards with an affection that sprang from his
self-accusings. The terrible chastisement his own vices had inflicted
on his lonely and deserted lot seemed never absent from his thoughts;
and he would sit for hours silently, while the heavy tears rolled along
his furrowed cheeks, and his strong, heaving bosom showed his agony.

The fruitlessness of their search after Maritana in Paris, and the
death of Tom Keane in the hospital, removed the only obstacles to
their departure from that city; and Rica and Cashel, who now felt their
fortunes bound up together, prepared to take their leave of Paris. The
trial of Linton was to take place in Limerick, and thither Roland was
summoned by the law-officers of the Crown. This sad duty accomplished,
he was to accompany Rica to Columbia, whither some slight hope of
recovering Maritana induced him to proceed. As for Cashel, once in the
old haunts of childhood, he had resolved never to quit them more.

Roland's arrangements for departure were soon made, and he