"Well," he said, "I'm not going to heap coals of fire on your head to-day. You can make your own apologies to Mr. Maxwell when he calls. But people should be careful of their passions."

"I did it in a hurry an' a passion," said Debbie, hanging down her head. Then, feeling the eyes of Claire Moulton resting on her with curiosity, she exclaimed with sudden energy: "I wish to the Lord he had never darkened our dure!"

She affected to be busy about some trifles, but soon added: "An' av I had me way, we wouldn't be behoulden to him now!" It gave food for reflection to Hamberton as he drove homeward.

"There is no understanding this mysterious people," he said, "and imagine Englishmen, who do everything with rule and tape, attempting to govern them for seven hundred years!"

"I can understand that girl's feelings," said his ward. "Well, yes; but such awful pride would be unimaginable amongst the peasants of Devon or Somerset."

"I suppose so," she replied. "But I can understand it. These are the things that make criminals."

"But what beats me," he said quite aloud, as he flicked the flanks of his horse with his long whip, "out an' out, and altogether and intirely, as they say among themselves, is that I couldn't get a cheer for Maxwell from those dolts. They didn't seem to understand it; and yet they say they are a clever and quick-witted people."

"I think I understand," she said. "Mr. Maxwell was playing a certain part; and they only knew him in that part. Their imagination, which is very limited, cannot conceive him. just yet in any other aspect. Perhaps in three months, or six months, they will grasp it."

"But they are said to be so quick-"

"Yes, in matters concerning their own daily lives. But, you see, they are now carried beyond their depth. Mr. Maxwell was quite right in not coming. He would have had a hostile. reception at first; an indifferent reception even after you revealed his goodness."

"Goodness? That's not the word, Claire! 'Tis greatness, generosity, magnanimity beyond fancy. How Gordon would have grasped his hand!"

"Yes; it is very grand," she said. "Do you know, from

the moment I saw him in that wretched cabin, I felt he was a hero."

"Then you kept your mind very much to yourself, young lady. I thought it was a feeling of repulsion you experienced from some remarks you made."

"And so it was," she replied. "But I knew he was great. Probably that was the reason I disliked him."

"Woman's

"I give it up," said Hamberton, after a pause. mind and the Irish nature are beyond me. I suppose it is because they are so much alike."

"I wonder is that a compliment ?" said his ward.

CHAPTER XI.

A DOUBLE WEDDING.

In the early autumn Robert Maxwell and Claire Moulton were wedded. The affair was very quiet and unfashionable. But there were solid festivities at Brandon Hall; and gala times for those employed by Hamberton.

There was but one sorrowful soul; and that was Father Cosgrove. He loved them all. But now the great trouble of his life was passing into an acute stage. Would Hamberton now carry out his grim intention; and, whilst concealing the infamy of it from the world for the sake of his ward, end his life in the Roman fashion? The thing seemed inconceivable in the case of a man surrounded by every happiness that wealth and benevolence could obtain. But Hamberton was a philosopher who had ideas of life and death far above, and removed from, the common instincts of humanity. And there was no knowing whither these fantastic ideas might lead him. He was a great pagan and no more.

With the exception of this one care corroding the breast of the good priest, all things else were smiling and happy. Maxwell was genuinely glad that his severe probation was over, and that he had obtained his heart's desire as a reward. And Claire had found her hero.

But why should we delay on such commonplace things, when the greater event of Darby Leary's wedding demands our attention as faithful chroniclers? Let the lesser events fade into

their natural insignificance before the greater and more engrossing record! Let the epithalamium yield to the epic.

There was something like consternation in the mountain chapel the second Sunday after the conspiracy between Maxwell and Darby had been hatched. For there was an apparition-of a young man with red hair and a sunburnt face, but clothed as no man had seen him clothed before. For Darby, habited in a new suit of frieze and corduroys, and with his red breast covered by a linen shirt with red and white stripes in parallel lines, did actually make his way to the very front of the congregation, and stand at the altar rails facing the priest. It was unheard of audacity; but Darby, with keen, philosophical insight, had made up his mind that it is audacity that entrances and paralyzes the brains of men; and that if he would escape endless chaff and jokes on his personal appearance, the way to do so was to brave public opinion and run the gauntlet with open eyes and head erect.

There certainly was a good deal of nudging and pushing one another amongst the boys and girls in his immediate vicinity; but it was all more or less hushed and concealed whilst the priest was reading the Acts and the Prayer before Mass. For his eagle eye was upon them and upon the chart; and woe to the boy or girl who was otherwise than recollected and devout.

But I'm sorry to say that when the priest's back was turned to the congregation there were many "nods and quips and wreathed smiles"; and when at last the people arose at the time of the sermon, and the tall, angular figure of Darby occupied a prominent place right at the altar rails, there were some whispering and smothered smiles that made the young priest who was addressing them pause and look around with some severity. This was all the greater because he was speaking to them on a solemn and mournful subject; and he had hopes of touching their sympathies, and even beholding the tacit expression of their feelings in a few tears. Instead of this, he was shocked to see grave men smiling, girls tittering, boys whispering behind their hands; but he went on slowly, watching the opportunity of setting free the floodgates of his anger. At last he stopped; and the old and venerable verger, who was hardly second in importance to the priest, and who was even more dreaded, alarmed by the sudden silence of the priest, came forth

in an angry and inquiring mood from the vestry. He cast an eager glance around, under which many an eye quailed; and then hobbled over to the rails, and bending down, he whispered angrily to a group of girls:

"What's the matter wid ye, ye gliggeens?'

"Yerra, 'tis Darby, sir!" said one of the girls, stuffing her shawl in her mouth.

The mystery was explained; and leaping over to where Darby was standing, defiant and indifferent, he hissed at him: "Kneel down, or sit down, you mad'an!"

Darby instantly obeyed; and the old man, turning to the priest, said with an air of condescending affability:

"You may continue yer discoorse, yer reverence!"

Strange to say, the little incident saved Darby from much worry outside. The public exposure satisfied the desire of humbling him; and when the congregation was dispersing, he only got a few smart slaps on the back and a few hurried questions:

"Well wear, Darby; and soon tear, and pay the beverage!" "We'll be lookin' out for the young wife now, plase God!" "What blacksmith made thim breeches, Darby? I want a new shirt meself soon!"

But Darby was indifferent. He gave back joke for joke, and lingered behind, with one idea uppermost in his mind. He seemed to be looking straight before him; but he had eyes only for a little figure in a faded shawl, that was mixed up with a lot of others as they crushed through the outer gate.

It is hard to discern or define the secret laws that guide the currents of our lives, and bring together the individuals that are to be mated for good or ill. If you stand near a stream that has been vexed into foam by rocks or sands, probably you would guess forever before telling what specks of foam or air bubbles would meet far down the river and coalesce in their journey to the sea. And we fail to tell how it was that the many members of this Sunday congregation fell away as they passed down the hillside, and left Darby and Noney together. The two were silent for a while, and then Darby, opening his new frieze coat to show his magnificent shirt-front all the better, said, in a loud whisper :

"Noney!"

"Well?" said Noney, looking steadily before her. "Noney, did ye see me the day?" said Darby.

"I did," said Noney. "It didn't want a pair of spectacles to see you."

"And what did ye think of me?" said Darby, quite sure of himself.

"I think you were nicer kneelin' than standin'"; said Noney. "Wisha, now," said Darby, a little abashed. "I shuppose 'twas bekase me back was turned to ye."

There was an awkward pause of a few seconds; and then Darby, getting on a different tack, said:

"I have a grate secret for ye, Noney."

"Indeed?" said Noney.

"Yes"; replied Darby. "Me and you are made for life." "Me and you?" replied Noney saucily. "And what have we to do with wan another, may I ax?"

"Oh, very well!" said Darby. will tell you."

Maybe, thin, Phil Doody

"An' what have I to do wid Phil Doody?" said Noney, in frigid anger. "Phil Doody is nothin' to me more nor to any wan else!"

'Say that agin, Noney," replied Darby ecstatically.

"I say that there's nothing between me an' Phil Doody, more than any other bhoy!" said Noney.

"I thought there was thin," said Darby. "But people will be talkin'. Nothin' can shut their mout's."

"Phil Doody is a dacent enough kind of bhoy," said Noney, after an awkward pause. "I believe his sisters are well off in Ameriky."

"So they do be sayin'," replied Darby, who did not like the allusion at all. "I suppose they'll be takin' him out wan av these days."

"I don't know that," answered Noney. "They say he's got a new job at home; an' I suppose he'll be settling down next Shrove."

"I suppose so," said Darby innocently. "I hear there's a good many looking after him."

"Is there thin?" said Noney. "I think he's made his chice." "But shure you said this minit," said the tormented Darby, "that there was nothin' between you."

"Naither there isn't," said Noney. "Shure he could make his chice widout me."

Darby felt he was not making much headway here, so he