g the road walked another traveller.
He carried a knapsack on his shoulders and a stout staff in his hand.
When the song reached his ears he stopped, listened carefully, and then
waited for the singer to overtake him. It seemed as if the young man
was too glad at heart to sing through one song. He began again, and
his voice was full of passion, as if he had abandoned himself to the
inspiration of his words--

"Oh, wert thou in the cauld blast,
On yonder lea, on yonder lea,
My plaidie to the angry airt,
I'd shelter thee, I'd shelter thee."

"Neal Ward," said the man who waited.

The singer paused.

"I'm Neal Ward, my friend, who ever are you? And I know your voice. I
know it. Let me see your face, man. You're Jemmy Hope. As I'm a living
man, you're Jemmy Hope. I couldn't have asked a better meeting."

He seized Hope's hand and wrung it heartily. He held it firm.

"There's no man in the world I'd rather have met to-night. But I might
have guessed I'd meet you. When a man's happy every wish of his heart
comes to him. It's only the poor devils who are sad that have to wait
and sigh for what they want and never get it."

"So you are happy, Neal. I am right glad of it. It makes me happy, too,
for all that's come and gone, to listen to your singing. Give me a share
of your good news, Neal. We want good news in Ireland now-a-days. What
makes you happy?"

"I'm to be married to-morrow, Jemmy Hope. To-morrow, to-morrow, man.
Isn't that enough to make me happy?"

He put his arm round Hope, and led him along the road. He walked as if
there were music in his ears which made him want to dance.

"She's the best girl in all the world," he said, "the bravest and the
truest and the sweetest--

'Or were I a monarch o' the globe,
With thee to reign, with thee to reign,
The brightest jewel in my crown
Wad be my queen, wad be my queen.'

Haven't I the right to be happy, James Hope? Tell me that."

"You have the best gift that God has got to give to man," said Hope,
"and I that speak to you know. I have my own dear Rose. I have found
that the love of a good woman made all my trouble easy, turned sorrow of
heart into a kind of gladness, brought joy out of disappointment, made
poverty sweet to bear."

"But I'm not poor," said Neal, "I have a home to offer her, a home not
unworthy of her. I have money to give her what she wants. I shall take
her across the sea in a fine sh