me prevented me from knowing his value until now;
but now that! I do know him, I say it, perhaps, with too much of the
partiality of a brother, I think that any man may feel proud of his
friendship; and I say so with the less hesitation, because I am sure
he would select no man for his friend who was not worthy of it;" and he
bowed courteously as he spoke.

"Faith, sir," replied O'Connor, "you have hit it; I for one am proud
of it; but, upon my conscience, he wouldn't be his father's son if he
wasn't what he is."

Alice was sewing some embroidery, and seemed to take no notice, if one
could judge by her downcast locks, of what they said. At length she
said, with a smile:

"As you, Ferdora, have inquired for your favorite, I don't see why I
should not inquire after mine; how is your sister, Mr. Woodward?"

"Indeed, she's the picture of health, Miss Goodwin; but I will not"--he
added, with a smile to balance her own--"I will not be answerable for
the health of her heart."

Alice gave a low laugh, that had the slightest tincture of malice in it,
and glanced at O'Connor, who began to tap his boot with his riding whip.

"She is a good girl as ever lived," said Mrs. Goodwin, "and I hope will
never have a heartache that may harm her."

"Heaven knows, madam," replied Woodward, "it is time only that will tell
that. Love is a strange and sometimes rather a painful malady."

"Of course you speak from your own experience, Mr. Woodward," replied
Alice.

"Then you have had the complaint, sir," said O'Connor, laughing. "I
wonder is it like small-pox or measles?"

"How is that, sir?" said Woodward, smiling.

"Why, that if you've had it once you'll never have it a second time."

"Yes, but if I should be ill of it now?" and he glanced at Alice, who
blushed.

"Why, in that case," replied O'Connor, "it's in bed you ought to be; no
man with an epidemic on him should be permitted to go abroad among his
majesty's liege subjects."

"Yes, Ferdora," said Alice, "but I don't think Mr. Woodward's complaint
is catching."

"God forbid that the gentleman should die of it, though," replied
Ferdora, "for that would be a serious loss to the ladies."

"You exaggerate that calamity, sir," replied Woodward, with the
slightest imaginable sneer, "and forget that if I die you survive me."

"Well, certainly, there is consolation in that," said O'Connor,
"especially for the ladies, as I said; isn't there, Alley?"

"Certainly," replied Alic