vers, begging to know
when he may be permitted to pay his personal respects to you, and
express his deep and grateful sense--his own words--of your son's
noble conduct in rescuing his daughter at the hazard of his life. It is
written with much modesty and good sense, and the writer canna be other
than a true gentleman."

"Travers--Travers," repeated O'Donoghue; "why that's the man himself. It
was he bought the estate; he's Hemsworth's principal."

"And if he be," replied M'Nab, "canna an honest man ha'e a bad servant?
There's nothing about Hemsworth here. It's a ceevil demand from one
gentleman to anither."

"So it is, then, Sir Marmaduke, that has been staying at the lodge these
some weeks past. That was Mark's secret--poor dear boy, he wouldn't tell
me, fearing it would annoy me. Well, what is it he wants."

"To visit you, O'Donoghue."

"What nonsense; the mischiefs done already. The mortgage is forclosed;
and as for Carrignacurra, they can do nothing before the next term;
Swaby says so, at least."

"Can ye no' comprehend. It is no law document; but a ceevil way to make
your acquaintance. Sir Marmaduke wad pay his respects to ye."

"Well, let him come," said O'Donoghue, laughing; "he's sure to find
me at home. The sheriff takes care of that for him. Mark will be here
to-morrow or next day; I hope he won't come before that."

"The answer must be a written one," said M'Nab; "it wad na be polite to
gie the flunkie the response."

"With all my heart, Archy, so that I am not asked to indite it. Miles
O'Donoghue are the only words I have written for many a year"--and he
added, with a half bitter laugh--"it would have been as well for poor
Mark, if I had forgotten even that same."

Sir Archibald retired to write the answer, with many a misgiving as to
the substance of the epistle; for while deeply gratified at heart, that
his favourite, Herbert, had acquitted himself so nobly, his own pride
was mortified, as he thought over the impressions a visit to the
O'Donoghue household might have on the mind of a "haughty Southern," for
such in his soul he believed him.

There was no help for it, however; the advances were made in a spirit
so very respectful, every line breathed such an evident desire, on the
writer's part, to be well received, that a refusal, or even a formal
acceptance of the proffered visit, was out of the question. His reply,
then, accepted the intended honour, with a profession of satisfaction;
apolo