bove him, all was either dark or stormy; his heart sank, but the
tenderness expressed in Una's last words filled his whole soul with a
vehement and burning passion, which he felt must regulate his destiny in
life, whether for good or evil. He pulled her to his breast, on which
he placed her head; she looked up fondly to him, and, perceiving that he
wrought under some deep and powerful struggle, said in a low, confiding
voice, whilst the tears once more ran quietly down her cheeks, "Connor,
what I said is true."

"My heart's burnin'--my heart's burnin'!" he exclaimed. "It's not love I
feel for you, Una--it's more than love; oh, what is it--Una, Una, this I
know, that I cannot live long without you, or from you; if I did, I'd go
wild or mad through the world. For the last three years you have never
been out of my mind, I may say awake or asleep; for I believe a night
never passed during that time that I didn't drame of you--of the
beautiful young crature. Oh! God in heaven, can it be thrue that she
loves me at last? Say them blessed words again, Una; oh, say them again!
But I'm too happy--I can hardly bear this delight."

"It is true that I love you, and if our parents could think as we do,
Connor, how easy it would be for them to make us happy, but--"

"It's too soon, Una; it's too soon to spake of that. Happy! don't we
love one another? Isn't that happiness? Who or what can deprive us of
that? We are happy without them; we can be happy in spite of them; oh,
my own fair girl! sweet, sweet life of my life, and heart of my heart!
Heaven--heaven itself would be no heaven to me, if you weren't with me!"

"Don't say that, Connor dear; it's wrong. Let us not forget what is
due to religion, if we expect our love to prosper. You may think this
strange from one that has acted contrary to religion in coming to meet
you against the will and knowledge of her parents; but beyond that, dear
Connor, I hope I never will go. But is it true that you've loved me so
long?"

"It is," said he; "the second Sunday in May next was three years, I
knelt opposite you at mass. You were on the left hand side of the altar,
I was on the right; my eyes were never off you; indeed, you may remember
it."

"I have a good right," said she, blushing and hiding her face on his
shoulder. "I ought to be ashamed to acknowledge it, an' me so young at
the time; little more than sixteen. From that day to this, my story has
been just your own. Connor, can you t