f her hand, she turned into another
alley of the garden, and left Mark silently musing over the scene.
Scarcely, however, had she screened herself from his view by the
intervening trees, than she hastened her steps, and soon gained the
house. Without stopping to take breath, she ascended the stairs, and
tapped at Sir Archy's door.

"Come in, my sweet Kate," said he, in his blandest voice, "I should know
that gentle tap amid a thousand; but, my dear child, why so pale?--what
has agitated you?--sit down and tell me."

"Read this, sir," said she, taking a letter from the folds of her
handkerchief--"this well tell you all, shorter and more collectedly than
I can. I want your advice and counsel, and quickly too, for no time is
to be lost.

"This is Mr. Hemsworth's writing," said Sir Archy, as he adjusted his
spectacles to read. "When did you receive it?"

"About an hour ago," answered Kate, half impatient at the unhurried
coolness of the old man's manner, who at last proceeded to examine the
epistle, but without the slightest show of anxiety or eagerness. His
apathy was, however, short-lived--short expressions of surprise broke
from him, followed by exclamations of terror and dismay, till at length,
laying down the letter, he said, "Leave me, sweet Kate, leave me to read
and reflect on this alone; be assured I'll lose no time in making up
my mind about it, for I see that hours are precious here." And as she
glided from the room, Sir Archy placed the open letter on a table before
him, and sat down diligently to re-consider its contents.

CHAPTER XXXVII. HEMSWORTH'S LETTER

The letter, over which Sir Archy bent in deep thought, was from
Hemsworth. It was dated from the night before, and addressed to Kate
O'Donoghue, and, although professing to have been hurriedly written, an
observer, as acute as Sir Archy, could detect ample evidence of great
care and consideration in its composition. Statements seemingly clear
and open, were in reality confused and vague; assertions were qualified,
and, in lieu of direct and positive information, there were scattered
throughout, hopes, and fears, wishes, and expectations, all capable of
being sustained, whatever the issue of the affair they referred to.

The letter opened with a respectful apology for addressing Miss
O'Donoghue; but pleading that the urgency of the case, and the motives
of the writer, might be received as a sufficient excuse. After stating,
in sufficiently vagu