want! As I count
upon your honesty to keep a pledge, I reckon on your delicacy not asking
the reasons for it. You will, therefore, not speak of having been with
me here. To mention me would be but to bring up bitter memories."

In the pause which now ensued, Billy Traynor's feelings underwent a sore
trial; for while he bethought him that now or never had come the moment
to reconcile the father and the son, thus mysteriously separated, his
fears also whispered the danger of any ill-advised step on his part,
and the injury he might by possibility inflict on one he loved best on
earth.

"You make me this pledge, therefore, before we part," said Lord
Glencore, who continued to ruminate on what he had spoken. "It is
less for _my_ sake than that of another." Billy took the hand Glencore
tendered towards him respectfully in his own, and kissed it twice.

"There are men who have no need of oaths to ratify their faith
and trustfulness. You are one of them, Tray-nor," said Glencore,
affectionately.

Billy tried to speak, but his heart was too full, and he could not utter
a word.

"A dying man's words have ever their solemn weight," said Glencore, "and
mine beseech you not to desert one who has no prize in life equal to
your friendship. Promise me nothing, but do not forget my prayer to
you." And with this, Lord Glencore turned away, and buried his face
between his hands.

"And in the name of Heaven," muttered Billy to himself as he stole away,
"what is it that keeps them apart and won't let them love one another?
Sure it wasn't in nature that a boy of his years could ever do what
would separate them this way. What could he possibly say or do that his
father might n't forget and forgive by this time? And then if it was
n't the child's fault at all, where's the justice in makin' him pay for
another's crime? Sure enough, great people must be unlike poor craytures
like me, in their hearts and feelin's as well as in their grandeur; and
there must be things that _we_ never mind nor think of, that are thought
to be mortial injuries by _them_. Ay, and that is raysonable too! We see
the same in the matayrial world. There's fevers that some never takes;
and there's climates some can live in, and no others can bear!

"I suppose, now," said he, with a wise shake of the head, "pride--pride
is at the root of it all, some way or other; and if it is, I may give
up the investigation at onst, for divil a one o' me knows what pride
is,--ba