o "the ladies," remarked in an
enthusiastic tone that Elise was "a angel--nothin' more nor less--only
widout wings."

The demon jealousy instantly fired the soul of the Canadian.

"Vat you knows about she?" he demanded, with suppressed emotion.

"Knows about her!" exclaimed Rooney, with increased enthusiasm, while Le
Rue's spirit dilated with increasing jealousy, "what do I _not_ know
about her, is the question. Sure I've knowed her iver since she was a
purty little curly-hided child; I've knowed her goodness to her parients
till the day of their death, an' her gentleness in the time of sorrow,
an' her jollity in the time of joy, an' her faithfulness to her mistress
in adversity, an' her gin'ral goodness at all times, blissin's on her!"

Francois ceased devouring "pig," and played with his knife, while he
mentally, almost unconsciously, measured the number of inches that lay
between the outside of Rooney's chest and the core of his heart.

"You'se verai fond of her, it seems," he said, with deep sarcasm.

"That's just what I am," replied Rooney, stuffing an enormous piece of
bacon into his no less enormous mouth. "It's raison I have too," he
added thickly, but quite audibly, "for she nursed my poor wife through a
long illness, an' it's my belaif she wouldn't ha' bin alive this day but
for the care and attintion she got from Elise."

The demon fled horrified out at the key-hole--the window being shut--and
Le Rue, feeling the deepest regard for Rooney, relieved his feelings
with a sigh and more "pig."

While the Irishman and Canadian were entertaining each other thus in the
kitchen, the Highlanders and Englishman were no less cordial and busy in
the hall. Rough and ready the hospitality indeed was, for the board was
not only uncovered but unplaned, and the dishes were cracked and
dinted--according to their nature; but the heartiness of the welcome,
the solidity of the simple viands, the strength of appetite, and, above
all, the presence of bright eyes and gentle spirits threw a luxurious
halo round the humble apartment, in the light of which Reginald Redding
revelled.

Tea,--the cup which cheers but does not inebriate,--was used at that
board as if it had been brandy and water. The men not only drank it
during the progress of the meal, but afterwards sat long over it, and
dallied with it, and urged each other to "have some more" of it, and
quaffed it to the health of absent friends, and told stories, and cut