's neighbours
to condone the "fact" that he had been a convict, I agreed with Alister
that Dennis ought not to risk the possible ill effects of what, as he
said, had a ne'er-do-weel, out-at-elbows, or, at last and least, an
uncommon look about it; and that having resumed his proper social
position, our Irish comrade would be wise to keep it in the eyes he
cared most to please.

"Alister has a fine heart," said Dennis, "but you may tell him I told
her," and he paused.

"What did she say?" I asked anxiously.

"She said," answered Dennis slowly, "that she'd small belief that a girl
could tell if a man were true or no by what he seemed as a lover, but
there was something to be done in the way of judging of his heart by
seeing if he was kind with his kith and faithful to his friends."

It took me two or three revolutions of my brain to perceive how this
answer bore upon the question, and when I repeated it to Alister, his
comment was almost as enigmatical.

"A man," he said sententiously, "that has been blessed with a guid
mother, and that gives the love of his heart to a guid woman, may aye
gang through the ills o' this life like the children of Israel through
the Red Sea, with a wall on's right hand and a wall on's left."

But it was plain to be seen that the young lady approved of Dennis
O'Moore's resolve, when she made us three scarlet night-caps for
deck-wear, with a tiny shamrock embroidered on the front of each.

Indeed, as to clothes and comforts of all sorts, we began our homeward
voyage in a greatly renovated condition, thanks to our friends. The many
kindnesses of the engineer officer were only matched by his brusque
annoyance if we "made a fuss about nothing," and between these, and what
the sugar-planter thought due to his relative, and what the
sugar-planter's daughter did for the sake of Dennis, the only difficulty
was to get our kits stowed within reasonable seamen's limits. The
sugar-planter's influence was of course invaluable to us in the choice
of a ship, and we were very fortunate. The evening we went on board I
accompanied Dennis to his cousin's house to bid good-bye, and when we
left, Miss Eileen came with us through the garden to let us out by a
short cut and a wicket-gate. She looked prettier even than usual, in
some sort of pale greenish-grey muslin, with knots of pink ribbon about
it, and I felt very much for Dennis's deplorable condition, and did my
best in the way of friendship by going w