happiness. Vain hope. The
malice of the De Montford family was again let loose upon me. Your
grandfather was dead. I knew nothing of the events that had occurred
during my absence, and supposed that his first wife had died in Italy,
and her son also. But the countess had found among her husband's papers,
so I suppose, at least, for on this point I am uninformed, something
which threw light upon the past, and, supposing that I knew of the
existence of your father resolved on removing me. I was fond of
shooting, and one day shot a hare in a distant part of the manor. I had
been watched, by her orders, and a charge of poaching was instituted
against me. Her son was absent then, upon his murderous errand, as I
afterwards knew. I was tried on a charge of poaching; the game laws were
severe; the justice was her creature, and despite the entreaties of my
father, and the tears of my wife, I was condemned to transportation for
seven years.'

A bitter sneer was curling on the young man's lip; the mariner's face
had resumed its stern expression. 'The details of my escape from Botany
Bay are unimportant. Suffice it, that I once more reached America, and
devoted my energies to tracing the fate of my child. In Savannah I was
fortunate enough to meet with the attendant of your grandmother. She had
accompanied a family of refugees from European disturbances, and from
her I learned not only what I have told you already--but that my
daughter had been married, and that her husband was no other than the
son of her old mistress and your father!'

The young man threw his hands towards heaven and fell on his knees.

'O Thou, whose ways are inscrutable, blessed be thy name, for out of
darkness thou hast brought light, and turned the misdeeds of the guilty
upon themselves, and made the promptings of nature yearn in the heart of
the orphan boy towards the father of my mother.'

He fell upon the old man's neck and sobbed. Such emotions are no
disgrace to manhood. The mariner strained him to his heart, and it was
some time ere the emotion of both had subsided sufficiently to enable
the one to ask or the other to give further explanation. At length the
mariner resumed. 'From this woman, who had recognised your father by a
peculiar mark on his hand, I learned that she had kept the papers of
your grandmother and the locket, and gave them to your father; but he
treated them as fabulous, and her as an impostor. Your mother, however,
gave credence t