work here, Hoare; confess that"

"Ah, there will not be many more such harvests to reap," said he,
sighing.

"How so? his fortune is scarcely breached as yet"

"He spends money fast," said Hoare, gravely; "even now, see what sums
he has squandered; think of the presents he has lavished,--diamonds,
horses--"

"As to the Kennyfeck affair, it was better than getting into a
matrimonial scrape, which I fancy I have rescued him from."

"Oh, no, nothing of the kind. Pirate as he is, he would n't venture on
that."

"Why so?--what do you mean?"

"Simply, that he is married already; at least, that species of betrothal
which goes for marriage in his free and easy country."

"Married!" exclaimed Linton, in utter amazement; "and he never even
hinted in the most distant manner to this."

"And yet the obligation is sufficiently binding, according to Columbian
law, to give his widow the benefit of all property he might die
possessed of in that Republic."

"And he knows this himself?"

"So well, that he has already proposed a very large sum as forfeit to
break the contract."

"And this has been refused?"

"Yes. The girl's father has thought it better to follow your own plan,
and make 'a waiting race,' well knowing, that if Cashel does not return
to claim her as his wife,--or that, which is not improbable, she may
marry more advantageously,--he will always be ready to pay the forfeit."

"May I learn his name?"

"No!"

"Nor his daughter's--the Christian name, I mean."

"To what end? It would be a mere idle curiosity, for I should exact a
pledge of your never divulging it."

"Of course," said Linton, carelessly. "It was, as you say, a mere idle
wish. Was this a love affair, then, for it has a most commercial air?"

"I really don't know that; I fancy that they were both very young, and
very ignorant of what they were pledging, and just as indifferent to the
consequences."

"She was handsome, this--"

"Maritana is beautiful, they say," said Hoare, who inadvertently let
slip the name he had refused to divulge.

Linton's quick ear caught it at once, but as rapidly affected not to
notice it, as he said,--

"But I really do not see as yet how this affects what we were just
speaking of?"

"It will do so, however--and ere long. These people, who were immensely
rich some time back, are now, by one of the convulsions so frequent
in those countries, reduced to absolute poverty. They will, doubtless,
follow Cashel her