e channel through which
her father's wealth, if such a pittance deserves the name, was to have
flowed into my possession--'twas in respect of your family finances the
most economical provision for myself which I could devise--a matter in
which you, not I, are interested. As for women, they are all pretty much
alike to me. I am too old myself to make nice distinctions, and too ugly
to succeed by Cupid's arts; and when a man despairs of success, he soon
ceases to care for it. So, if you know me, as you profess to do, rest
satisfied "caeteris paribus;" the money part of the transaction being
equally advantageous, I should regret the loss of Ellen Heathcote just
as little as I should the escape of a minnow from my landing-net.'

They walked on for a few minutes in silence, which was not broken till
Dwyer, who had climbed a stile in order to pass a low stone wall which
lay in their way, exclaimed:

'By the rood, she's here--how like a philosopher you look.'

The conscious blood mounted to O'Mara's cheek; he crossed the stile,
and, separated from him only by a slight fence and a gate, stood the
subject of their recent and somewhat angry discussion.

'God save you, Miss Heathcote,' cried Dwyer, approaching the gate.

The salutation was cheerfully returned, and before anything more could
pass, O'Mara had joined the party.

My friend, that you may understand the strength and depth of those
impetuous passions, that you may account for the fatal infatuation which
led to the catastrophe which I have to relate, I must tell you, that
though I have seen the beauties of cities and of courts, with all
the splendour of studied ornament about them to enhance their graces,
possessing charms which had made them known almost throughout the world,
and worshipped with the incense of a thousand votaries, yet never,
nowhere did I behold a being of such exquisite and touching beauty, as
that possessed by the creature of whom I have just spoken. At the moment
of which I write, she was standing near the gate, close to which several
brown-armed, rosy-cheeked damsels were engaged in milking the peaceful
cows, who stood picturesquely grouped together. She had just thrown
back the hood which is the graceful characteristic of the Irish girl's
attire, so that her small and classic head was quite uncovered, save
only by the dark-brown hair, which with graceful simplicity was parted
above her forehead. There was nothing to shade the clearness of her