rt I listened to the bad news--for bad enough it was!

O'Rourke tould me the rason of his visit was to let me know he and Mary
had made up their minds to sail for Amerikay, where they had some frinds
doing well, and it was agreed they would go as steerage passengers with
me, three days after date, in the clipper ship, _George Washington_.

As they rose to depart, and were bidding us a kind good-night, a low
whistle outside caused us all to start. O'Rourke drew himself up, and
compressed his lips tightly, as he listened for a repetition of the
signal.

Mary turned deathly pale, and clutched her sweetheart's arm
convulsively.

The whistle was repeated.

Miles stooped down, kissed the trembling girl's forehead, and,
addressing me, hastily said, "Phil, tired as you must be, I know I can
trust to you to see Mary safe home."

"Why not do so yourself?" asked I.

"Because I am called, and must obey."

"Are the boys out to-night?" inquired my father.

"They are, and will be till--"

"When?--where?" demanded my mother.

"No matter," said O'Rourke, "you will know soon enough. Perhaps too
soon."

The whistle was heard for the third time. O'Rourke rushed from the
cottage, exclaiming, "Heaven guard you all!"

After the lapse of a few minutes, I started with Mary for her father's
house. As I left her, looking very sad, at the door, I told her to be
sure to see that O'Rourke was not too late to sail wid me.

"Little fear of that," said she; "since his father has been ordered to
quit the farm, to make way for a friend of the new agent's, he'll be
glad to lave the place forever."

I turned to go home, with a sad heart.

It was the end of harvest-time; the weather was very sultry, and the
night cloudy and overcast.

I thought, as I hurried home, we should soon have a heavy thunder-storm,
and fancied the summer lightning was more vivid than usual.

Just as I reached my father's door, I was startled by the sudden
flashing of a fierce flame in the direction of the mansion of the new
heir to the splendid estate he inherited from his uncle.

I doubted for a moment, but then was perfectly sartain the Hall was on
fire.

I dashed off at the top of my speed, taking the nearest cut across the
fields to the scene of the conflagrashun.

As I was pelting along, I heard the fire-bell sounding from the police
barracks, but I got to the place before the sogers or peelers had a
chance of reaching it.

A glance convinced m