-ay, man alive, for myself, if it goes to that--but, but, Connor,
avouchal, are you sure that sure you'll bring her to be in love wid
you?"

"Bartle," said Connor, seriously and after a sudden change in his whole
manner, "in this business I'm goin' to trate you as a friend, and a
brother. She loves me, Bartle, and a solemn promise of marriage has
passed between us."

"Connor," said Bartle, "it's wondherful, it's wondherful! you couldn't
believe what a fool I am--fool! no, but a faint-hearted, cowardly
villain."

"What do you mane, Bartle? what the dickens are you drivin' at!"

"Driven at! whenever I happen to have an opportunity of makin' a drive
that id--but! I'm talkin' balderdash. Do you see here, Connor," said he,
putting his hand to his neck, "do you see here?"

"To be sure I do. Well, what about there?"

"Be my sowl, I'm very careful of--but!--sure I may as well tell you the
whole truth--I sed I was in love; well, man, that was thrue, an'," he
added in a low, pithy whisper, "I was near--no, Connor, I won't but
go an; it's enough for you to know that I was an' am in love, an' that
it'll go hard wid me if ever any one else is married to the girl I'm in
love wid. Now that my business is past, let me hear yours, poor fellow,
an' I'm devilish glad to know, Connor, that--that--why, tunder an' ouns,
that you're not as I am. Be the crass that saved us, Connor, I'm glad of
that!"

"Why, love will set you mad, Bartle, if you don't take care of
yourself; an', faith, I dunna but it may do the same with myself, if I'm
disappointed. However, the truth is, you must sarve me in this business.
I struv to see her twiste, but couldn't, an' I'm afraid of bein' seen
spyin' about their place."

"The truth is, Connor, you want to make me a go-between--a blackfoot;
very well, I'll do that same on your account, an' do it well, too, I
hope."

It was then arranged that Flanagan, who was personally known to some of
the Bodagli's servants, should avail himself of that circumstance, and
contrive to gain an interview with Una, in order to convey her a letter
from O'Donovan. He was further enjoined by no means to commit it to the
hands of any person save those of Una herself, and, in the event of his
not being able to see her, then the letter was to be returned to Connor.
If he succeeded, however, in delivering it, he was to await an answer,
provided she found an opportunity of sending one; if not, she was to
inform Connor, through F