r name, had no means of
communicating the intelligence of the boy's recovery.

"I must now, sir," said McElvina to the vicar, "return the confidence
which you have placed in me, under the same promise of secrecy, by
making you acquainted with some particulars of my former life, at which
I acknowledge I have reason to blush, and which nothing but the
interests of William Seymour would have induced me to disclose."

McElvina then acknowledged his having formerly been engaged in
smuggling--his picking up the boy from the wreck--his care of him for
three years--the capture of his vessel by Captain M---, and the
circumstances that had induced Captain M--- to take the boy under his
protection. The mark was as legible as ever, and there could be no
doubt of his identity being satisfactorily established.

The vicar listened to the narration with the interest which it deserved,
and acknowledged his conviction of the clearness of the evidence, by
observing--

"This will be a heavy blow to our dear Emily."

"Not a very heavy one, I imagine," replied McElvina, who immediately
relieved the mind of the worthy man by communicating the attachment
between them, and the honourable behaviour of Seymour.

"How very strange this is!" replied the vicar. "It really would be a
good subject for a novel. I only trust that, like all inventions of the
kind, it may end as happily."

"I trust so too; but let us now consider what must be done."

"I should advise his being sent for immediately."

"And so should I: but I expect, from the last accounts which I received
from him, that the ship will have left her station to return home before
our letters can arrive there. My plan is, to keep quiet until his
return. The facts are known, and can be established by us alone. Let
us immediately take such precautions as our legal advisers my think
requisite, that proofs may not be wanting in case of our sudden demise;
but we must not act until he arrives in the country, for Mr Rainscourt
is a difficult and dangerous person to deal with."

"You are right," replied the vicar; "when do you leave this [house] for
Ireland?"

"In a few days--but I shall be ready to appear the moment that I hear of
the ship's arrival. In the meantime, I shall make the necessary
affidavits, in case of accident."

McElvina and the vicar separated. McElvina, like a dutiful husband,
communicated the joyful intelligence to his wife, and his wife, to
soothe Emily unde