an in the
cabin, and of her misfortunes and of her children. "Come, Patrick,"
continued the countess, "it is perhaps useless for us to say anything
further at present. If you will remain here, Mr. Fitzgerald, for
a minute or two, I will send Lady Clara to wait upon you;" and
then curtsying with great dignity she withdrew, and the young
earl scuffled out after her. "Mamma," he said, as he went, "he is
determined that he will have her."

"My poor child!" answered the countess.

"And if I were in his place I should be determined also. You may as
well give it up. Not but that I like Owen a thousand times the best."

Herbert did wait there for some five minutes, and then the door was
opened very gently, was gently closed again, and Clara Desmond was in
the room. He came towards her respectfully, holding out his hand that
he might take hers; but before he had thought of how she would act
she was in his arms. Hitherto, of all betrothed maidens, she had been
the most retiring. Sometimes he had thought her cold when she had
left the seat by his side to go and nestle closely by his sister. She
had avoided the touch of his hand and the pressure of his arm, and
had gone from him speechless, if not with anger then with dismay,
when he had carried the warmth of his love beyond the touch of his
hand or the pressure of his arm. But now she rushed into his embrace
and hid her face upon his shoulder, as though she were over glad to
return to the heart from which those around her had endeavoured to
banish her. Was he or was he not to speak of his love? That had been
the question which he had asked himself when left alone there for
those five minutes, with the eloquence of the countess ringing in his
ears. Now that question had in truth been answered for him.

"Herbert," she said, "Herbert! I have so sorrowed for you; but I know
that you have borne it like a man."

She was thinking of what he had now half forgotten,--the position
which he had lost, those hopes which had all been shipwrecked, his
title surrendered to another, and his lost estates. She was thinking
of them as the loss affected him; but he, he had reconciled himself
to all that,--unless all that were to separate him from his promised
bride.

"Dearest Clara," he said, with his arm close round her waist, while
neither anger nor dismay appeared to disturb the sweetness of that
position, "the letter which you wrote me has been my chief comfort."
Now if he had any intentio