land," said Cashel.

"You can't have Thursday, then," exclaimed Lady Janet; "that is the only
evening we ever have our rubber. I'll not give you Thursday."

"Friday we are to have some people at dinner," said Cashel; "and
Saturday was to have been some piece of electioneering festivity for
Linton's constituents."

"What matter now?" said Mrs. White; "perhaps the poor dear man is in
a better place. A very sad thought," sighed she; "but such things are
happening every day."

"Ah, yes, very sad," responded Meek, who never failed to perform echo to
any one's lamentation.

"Ah, indeed!" chimed in Aunt Fanny, "cut off like a daisy." And she
wiped her eyes and looked solemn, for she believed she was quoting
Scripture.

At last it was decided that the ball should come off on the earliest
evening possible, irrespective of all other arrangements; and now the
company formed in a great circle, discussing dresses and characters and
costumes with an eager interest that showed how little Linton's fate had
thrown a shadow over the bright picture of anticipated pleasure.

CHAPTER VI. THE SEASON OF LINTON'S FLITTING

He could outrogue a lawyer.

Oldham.

Revealing so freely as we do the hidden wiles of our characters for
the reader's pleasure, it would ill become us to affect any reserve
or mystery regarding their actions. We shall not make, therefore, any
secret of Mr. Linton's absence, nor ask of our patient reader to partake
of the mystification that prevailed among the company at Tubbermore.

It so chanced, that on the evening preceding his departure he saw in
a newspaper paragraph the arrival of a very distinguished lawyer at
Limerick on his way to Dublin, and the thought at once occurred to
him, that the opportunity was most favorable for obtaining an opinion
respecting the "Corrigan Pardon," without incurring either suspicion or
any lengthened absence.

Another object, inferior, but not devoid of interest, also suggested
itself. It was this: profiting by a secret passage which led from
the theatre to Cashel's bedroom, it was Linton's custom to visit this
chamber every day, ransacking the letters and papers which, in his
careless indolence, Roland left loose upon the tables, and thus
possessing himself of the minutest knowledge of Cashel's affairs. In his
very last visit to this room, he perceived a cumbrous document, of
which the seal of the envelope was broken, but apparently the contents
unlooke