gned to him the chair at those committee meetings at
Berryhill and Gortnaclough, and it was acknowledged that the Castle
Richmond arrangements for soup-kitchens, out-door relief, and
labour-gangs, might be taken as a model for the south of Ireland. Few
other men were able to go to the work with means so ample and with
hands so perfectly free. Mr. Carter even, who by this time had become
cemented in a warm trilateral friendship with Father Barney and the
Rev. Aeneas Townsend, was obliged to own that many a young English
country gentleman might take a lesson from Sir Herbert Fitzgerald in
the duties peculiar to his position.

His marriage did not take place till full six months after the period
to which our story has brought us. Baronets with twelve thousand a
year cannot be married off the hooks, as may be done with ordinary
mortals. Settlements of a grandiose nature were required, and were
duly concocted. Perhaps Mr. Die had something to say to them, so
that the great maxim of the law was brought into play. Perhaps also,
though of this Herbert heard no word, it was thought inexpedient to
hurry matters while any further inquiry was possible in that affair
of the Mollett connection. Mr. Die and Mr. Prendergast were certainly
going about, still drawing all coverts far and near, lest their
fox might not have been fairly run to his last earth. But, as I
have said, no tidings as to this reached Castle Richmond. There, in
Ireland, no man troubled himself further with any doubt upon the
subject; and Sir Herbert took his title and received his rents, by
the hands of Mr. Somers, exactly as though the Molletts, father and
son, had never appeared in those parts.

It was six months before the marriage was celebrated, but during a
considerable part of that time Clara remained a visitor at Castle
Richmond. To Lady Fitzgerald she was now the same as a daughter, and
to Aunt Letty the same as a niece. By the girls she had for months
been regarded as a sister. So she remained in the house of which she
was to be the mistress, learning to know their ways, and ingratiating
herself with those who were to be dependent on her.

"But I had rather stay with you, mamma, if you will allow me," Clara
had said to her mother when the countess was making some arrangement
with her that she should return to Castle Richmond. "I shall be
leaving you altogether so soon now!" And she got up close to her
mother's side caressingly, and would fain have press