tumbler for Russell.

"Drink, me lord," said he, "to the fairest av the fair."

And with these words he swallowed another tumblerful, while Russell
did the same.

"By 'the fairest av the fair,'" explained "His Majesty," as he
proceeded to mix another drink, "I mean yer daughter--the pairless
Lady Katie."

"My ward, 'Your Majesty,'" said Russell, correcting him.

"All the same, me lord," said "His Majesty;" "it was a slip av the
tongue. It was me heart that spoke. Listen to me now. I've somethin'
to tell ye. It's a proposal."

"His Majesty" paused for a moment, then took a fresh drink, then laid
down the glass, then sighed heavily, and then took another drink.

"Me lord," said he, in a solemn tone, "ye know, no doubt, that we are
a bachelor. Ye don't know it? Well, we are. I say, we are a bachelor.
We've been lookin' all around for ages afther a partner--a r'y'l
consort. All the iligible faymales av all the coorts av Europe have
been solicitin' our alliance. But none av thim wor shuitable. No.
Without love, we won't marry--we won't adopt the infernal system ay
state marriages. Where our heart isn't concerned our r'y'l hand don't
go--not a bit av it. Now, we niver saw the woman yet that we'd be
willin' to raise to the throne av Spain ontil we saw yer ward--the
lovely, the charrumin, the baywitchin' Lady Katie. Nay, me lord,
start not, an' don't suspect us av onjue praycipitation. We haven't
addhressed the Lady Katie yet on that point. We've acted in
accardence wid r'y'l usage, an' now make a farrumal offer av our
alliance to the parents an' gyarjians av the lovely being. What do ye
say, me lord? Will ye give yer consint to our proposal, an' allow yer
ward to become the Quane av Spain?"

At this Russell was quite overwhelmed. He had listened with open
mouth to this last address of "His Majesty," and at length, when it
all culminated in this direct and unmistakable proposal, he was so
astounded that he didn't know what to say. He therefore sat silent
and staring with open mouth, until at length, not knowing anything
better to do, he mechanically raised the tumbler of toddy and poured
the whole of it into that open mouth.

"That's right!" exclaimed "His Majesty," heartily, and he at once
began to replenish the empty glasses; "an' mind you, me boy, it's as
much for your intherest, me lord, as it is for hers. It's a great
thing for a young gyerrel to become the Quane av Spain; an' as for
yerself, why, av coorse the