ly half-dozen of eggs she had for them--indeed, Frank, he's a sad
curse to the property."

"He is what an old Vandal was once called for his cruelty and
oppression--the Scourge of God," replied Harman, "such certainly the
unhappy tenantry of the Topertoe family find him. Harsh and heartless
as he is, however, what would he be were it not for the vigilance and
humanity of Mr. Hickman? But are you aware, Mary, that his graceful son
Phil was a suitor of yours?"

"Of mine---ha, ha, ha!--oh, that's too comical, Frank--but I am not--Had
I really ever that honor?"

"Most certainly; his amiable father had the modesty to propose a
matrimonial union between your family and his!"

"I never heard of it," replied Mary, "never;--but that is easily
accounted for--my father, I know, would not insult me by the very
mention of it."

"It's a fact though, that the illegitimate son of the blasphemous old
squire, and of the virtuous and celebrated Kate Clank, hoped to have
united the M'Loughlin blood with his!"

"Hush!" exclaimed Mary, shuddering, "the very thought is sickening,
revolting."

"It's not a pleasant subject, certainly," said Harman, "and the less
that is said about it the more disgust we shall avoid, at any rate."

Her lover having safely conducted Mary home, remained with her family
only a few minutes, as the evening was advanced, and he had still to go
as far as Castle Cumber, upon business connected with the manufactory,
which M'Loughlin and his father had placed wholly under his
superintendence.

Upon what slight circumstances does the happiness of individuals,
nay, even of states and kingdoms, too frequently depend! Harman most
assuredly was incapable of altogether dismissing the circumstance of
the evening--involved in mystery as they unquestionably were--out of his
mind; not that he entertained the slightest possible suspicion of Mary's
prudence or affection; but he felt a kind of surprise at the novelty
of the position in which he saw she was placed, and no little pain in
consequence of the disagreeable necessity for silence which she admitted
had been imposed on her. His confidence in her, however, was boundless;
and from this perfect reliance on her discretion and truth, he derived
an assurance that she was acting with strict propriety under the
circumstances, whatever might be their character or tendency.

It may be necessary to mention here that a right of passage ran from
Beleeven, the name of the villa