w toward her pen and paper and dashed off a letter which she
gave to me.

"I think," she said, "it would be well if you left the papers with the
man in the Temple; he will keep them safely, and no one will suspect
where they are; while, if you need money, which is likely, he will be
able to advance you what you want on the security of the documents you
leave with him."

"Is it money?" said I, "sure I couldn't think of drawing money on
property that belongs to your good father, the Earl."

"As I read the papers," replied Lady Mary, very demurely, casting down
her eyes once more, "the property does not belong to my good father,
the Earl, but to the good-for-nothing young man named O'Ruddy. I think
that my father, the Earl, will find that he needs your signature
before he can call the estate his own once more. It may be I am wrong,
and that your father, by leaving possession so long in the hands of
the Earl, may have forfeited his claim. Mr. Josiah Brooks will tell
you all about that when you meet him in the Temple. You may depend
upon it that if he advances you money your claim is good, and, your
claim being good, you may make terms with even so obstreperous a man
as my father."

"And if I make terms with the father," I cried, "do you think his
comely daughter will ratify the bargain?"

Lady Mary smiled very sweetly, and gave me the swiftest and shyest of
glances across the table from her speaking eyes, which next instant
were hidden from me.

"May be," she said, "the lawyer could answer that question."

"Troth," I said, springing to my feet, "I know a better one to ask it
of than any old curmudgeon poring over dry law-books, and the answer
I'm going to have from your own lips."

Then, with a boldness that has ever characterized the O'Ruddys, I
swung out my arms and had her inside o' them before you could say
Ballymoyle. She made a bit of a struggle and cried breathlessly:

"I'll answer, if you'll sit in that chair again."

"It's not words," says I, "I want from your lips, but this,"--and I
smothered a little shriek with one of the heartiest kisses that ever
took place out of Ireland itself, and it seemed to me that her
struggle ceased, or, as one might say, faded away, as my lips came in
contact with hers; for she suddenly weakened in my arms so that I had
to hold her close to me, for I thought she would sink to the floor if
I did but leave go, and in the excitement of the moment my own head
was swimming in