heir dread increased as
the old man came running forward, crying: "An' it's comin' back yez are,
my darlin' Mish Ceshile. It's a throifle pale yer lookin', an' no
wonder." Saying this, Michael shook hands with Nash, and whispered:
"Niver fare, sorr, Mishter Coristine towld me all about it."

The made-up lady introduced her father's old servant to Wilkinson,
whose apprehensions were dispelled in a similar way, so that all were
prepared to give Mr. Rawdon the reception intended.

"Ullo, hold Favosites Wilkinsonia," cried the working geologist,
swaggering up with a cigar in his mouth, "'ow's yer bloomin' 'ealth?
That hold bloke of a Hirish haint in a 'urry to do the hamiable between
'is hold guvner's gal an' yours truly. My name, Miss, is Rawdon,
Haltamont Rawdon, workin' geologist and minerologist, and, between you
and me and the bedpost, a pretty warm man."

"Yes; Mr. Rawdon," replied the pseudo Miss Du Plessis, "you look--well,
not pretty--but warm."

"O, dash it hall, that haint wot I meant, Miss Do Please-us; I mean hi'm
a man that's got the dibs, the rhino, the blunt, you know, wot makes the
mare go. I don't go geologizin' round for nothin'."

"You pick up stones, I suppose?"

"Yes; grinstuns, limestun grit, that's the stuff to make you jolly."

"I have heard of drawing blood out of a stone, Mr. Rawdon, but never of
extracting merriment or exhilaration from a grindstone."

"Then you don't know my grinstuns, Miss; they're full o' fun."

"Are they indeed? How amusing! In what way does the fun display itself?"

"A bundle of my grinstuns, distributed at a loggin' bee, a raisin' bee,
or a campaign caucus, ware there's a lot of haxes to grind, can make
more fun than the Scott Act'll spile in a month. But silence is silence
'twixt partners, which I opes you and me is to be."

The fictitious Miss Du Plessis, with much simpering and affectation,
quite unworthy of the original, drew the working geologist out, and
inspired him with hopes of securing her hand and property. Mr. Rawdon
spoke very freely of the wealth he had in the hand and in the bush, of
his readiness to make allowance for Madame Du Plessis, if that "haffable
hold gent," her brother in law, was not prepared to provide for her.
When they reached the house, they found that no one was at home but
Tryphena, who was confined to the kitchen by culinary duties. They,
therefore, occupied the parlour, the Grinstun man seeing no impropriety
in being there alone