r artists' pencils, still his natural
feelings of politeness prevented him from showing the annoyance he felt.

While the lady was proceeding with her work, he gathered from the
conversation around him that some one of importance was expected at the
castle, and he at length made out that the young heir--Lord Fitz Barry--
was looked for during the afternoon.

Dermot had never seen him, for during the previous summer, he had not
returned home, having remained with his tutor in England. He found that
the carriage had been sent for the young Lord to the neighbouring town.

As soon as the ladies dismissed him, Dermot took his way along the road
by which he would reach the castle.

He had not long to wait before he saw an open carriage with the Earl in
it, and by his side a young boy bearing a strong resemblance to Lady
Nora.

There were the same blue eyes and the fair complexion and rich auburn
air possessed by his sister, at the same time there was a manly look and
expression in his countenance--boy as he was--which at once won Dermot's
respect.

"Ah, he has the old blood of his family in his veins," thought Dermot,
"and when he comes to man's estate, he'll prove, I hope, the same
kind-hearted, honest man that his father is."

Well pleased with his morning visit to the castle, Dermot returned to
his humble cottage. Did he ever draw a contrast between the two abodes?
Yes, but he was not discontented with his lot. He loved his mother,
and he knew that his mother loved him above all earthly things, and that
she would not exchange him, even to dwell in that lordly castle. Still,
as Dermot advanced in knowledge and in age, he could not help
discovering that his mother was ignorant and prone to superstition.
Indeed with pain he sometimes suspected that her mind was not altogether
perfectly right. She would sit occasionally talking to herself, and now
and then speak of strange events which had passed in her youth, of which
she would give no explanation. He, however, quickly banished this
latter idea, as too painful to be entertained. She loved him, what more
could he desire? When he was anxious about her, he reflected that she
had secured more than one friend in the neighbourhood. That his uncle
Shane was devoted to her, and that the kind Miss O'Reilly had promised
always to watch over her.

Many wild thoughts and schemes passed frequently through Dermot's mind.
He dared not at first give utterance to them, not e