e of nightmare and oppression. Surely this
hideous thing could not be true! no such disgrace could threaten him and
his! If an earthquake had opened in the Woodcote grounds, he could not
have looked more horrified.

'Do you mean to tell me, Mike, that this Mat O'Brien is Cyril's father?'

Then Michael gave him a detailed and carefully-worded account of his
interview with Mrs. Blake.

'Then it is true--quite true?' in a hopeless tone.

'There cannot be a doubt of it; I had it from her own lips. To-morrow I
must see O'Brien himself, and hear his side. I cannot help saying that I
am sorry for the woman, in spite of her falseness; she is utterly
crushed with her misery.' But it may be doubted if Dr. Ross heard this:
he was occupied with his own reflections.

'This will break Audrey's heart; she is devoted to the fellow.'

'Oh, I hope not; she has more strength than other girls.'

'Of course I cannot allow this affair to go on: I must see Blake, and
tell him so at once.'

'There is no hurry, is there? I think you should let me speak to O'Brien
first.'

'Well, if you wish it; but I confess I do not see the necessity.'

'And I hope you will be gentle with Blake: remember that not a vestige
of blame attaches to him; it is simply his misfortune that he is the son
of such parents. I expect he will be utterly broken-hearted.'

Then Dr. Ross gave vent to an impatient groan. No man had a softer heart
than he, and he had liked Cyril from the first.

'I must think of my child, Mike,' he said at last.

'Yes, you must think of her; but you must be merciful to him, too. Think
what he will suffer when he knows this; and he is as innocent as a
babe! I suppose'--and then he hesitated, and looked at his cousin--'that
there will be no way of hushing up things, and letting the engagement go
on?'

Then the Doctor nearly sprang out of his chair.

'Are you out of your senses, Michael, to put such a question to me? Is
it likely that any man in my position would allow his family to be
allied to a convicted criminal? Would any amount of hushing up render
such an alliance tolerable?'

'Well, I suppose not.'

'I have never cared much for conventionality, or for the mere show of
things; but I suppose that, in some sense, the good opinion of my
fellow-men is necessary for my comfort. When Blake came to me, and told
me that he had not a shilling in the world beside his earnings as my
classical master, I did not let his poverty stand