ith a laugh, "at least if feeling may
be permitted to do duty for time in gauging the friendship."

"Well, Dr Marsh, we are happy to make your acquaintance, despite the
sadness of the circumstances," said Dominick, "and will do all we can
for you and your friends; meanwhile, may I ask you to come to the camp
and relieve the mind of your worshipper, for I can scarcely call her
less."

Poor Dr Marsh, feeling greatly exhausted by excitement as much as by
exertion, was on the point of excusing himself and begging his host to
fetch the widow up to the cave, when he was saved the trouble by the
widow herself, whose voice was just then heard outside.

"What's that yer sayin', Joe?" she exclaimed in a remonstrative tone,
"ye seed 'im go into that rabbit-hole? Never! Don't tell me! Arrah
it's on his hands an knees he'd have to do it."

The voice which replied was pitched in a much deeper and softer key, but
it was heard distinctly to say, "Ay, widdy Lynch, that's the door I seed
him an' a boy go through; so ye'd better rap at it an' inquire."

"Faix, an' that's jist what I'll do, though I don't half belave ye."

She was about to apply her large red knuckles to the door in question
when her intention was frustrated and her doubts were scattered by the
door opening and Dominick presenting himself.

"Come in, Mrs Lynch, come in. Your doctor is here, alive and well."

"Well, is it--ah! I wish he was! Are ye there, darlin'?"

"Yes, yes," came from within, in a laughing voice. "Here I am, Mrs
Lynch, all right and comfortable. Come in."

Being excessively tall, the widow was obliged, like others, to stoop to
enter; but being also excessively broad, she only got her head and
shoulders through the doorway, and then, unlike others, she stuck fast.
By dint, however, of a good pull from Dominick and a gentle push from
Joe, she was got inside without quite carrying away the structure which
the gale of the preceding night had spared.

"Och! 'tis a quare place intirely, and there is some disadvantage in
bein' big--thank ye kindly, sir--but on the whole--"

She got no further, for at that moment her sharp little grey eyes fell
on Pauline, and once again Otto's heart was stirred to its profoundest
depths by the expressive glare that ensued. Indeed, Dominick and Marsh
were equally affected, and could not help laughing.

"Ha! ye may laugh," said the widow, with profound solemnity, "but if
it's not dramin' I am, what Father M