e
her.'

'My cousin would think it no disgrace to be connected with you, Mr.
O'Brien;' for he knew too well Audrey's large-mindedness and absence of
conventionality. 'She has always looked upon you as her friend.'

'Thank you, Captain; that is very handsomely said, and I wish my Prissy
could have heard it, for she has done nothing but cry since the news
reached her. "Rachel refusing to be comforted" is nothing compared to
Prissy when the mood is on her; she literally waters all her meals with
her tears. Yes, you mean it handsomely; but I am an old man, Captain
Burnett, and know the world a bit, and I have the sense to see that
Thomas O'Brien--honest and painstaking as he may be--is no fit
connection for Dr. Ross's daughter. Why, to think she might be my niece
and call me "uncle"!' and here the old man's face flushed as he spoke.
'It is not right; it is not as it should be. She must give him up--she
must indeed, Captain!'

'I am afraid Dr. Ross holds that opinion, Mr. O'Brien. You will
understand that he means no disrespect to you; but it is simply
intolerable to him that any daughter of his should marry Matthew
O'Brien's son. You see, I am speaking very plainly.'

'Yes, sir; and I am speaking just as plainly to you. In this sort of
case it is no use beating about the bush. Mat has made his bed, and he
must just lie on it; and his children--Heaven help them, poor young
things!--must just lie on theirs too. Dear, dear! to think that when she
was talking to me so pleasantly about Mollie and Kester, and--what is
her lad's name?--that neither she nor I had an idea that she was
speaking to their uncle! There, it beats me, Captain--it does indeed!'
And there were tears in the old man's eyes.

'I am afraid there is heavy trouble in store for them all, and for my
cousin, too; she will be very unwilling to give up Blake.'

'Humph! that is what he calls himself! Well, she was always faithful,
Captain; she is made of good stout stuff, and that sort wears best in
the long-run. If she is a bit difficult, send her to me, and I'll talk
to her. I will put things before her in a light she won't be able to
resist.'

In spite of the sadness of the conversation, Michael could hardly
forbear a smile.

'I hardly know what you would say to her, Mr. O'Brien.'

'You leave that to me, Captain; it is best not to be too knowing about
things. But I don't mind telling you one thing that I would say: "My
dear young lady, you have been a go