disposition, do you mean to
say?"

"Why, yes, I may say that now; but, O'Donahue, that is owing to my
circumspection and delicacy. At first starting, I determined that she
should not think that it was only her money that I wanted; so, after we
were married, I continued to find myself, which, paying nothing for
board and lodging and washing, I could easily do upon my half-pay; and I
have done so ever since, until just now."

"I had not been married a week before I saw that she expected I would
make inquiries into the state of her finances, but I would not. At
last, finding that I would not enter into the business, she did, and
told me that she had 17,000 pounds Consols laid by, and that the
business was worth 1,000 pounds per annum (you may fish at Cheltenham a
long while, O'Donahue, before you get such a haul as that). So I told
her I was very glad she was well off, and then I pretended to go fast
asleep, as I never interfered with her, and never asked for money. At
last she didn't like it, and offered it to me; but I told her I had
enough, and did not want it; since which she has been quite annoyed at
my not spending money; and when I told her this morning that there was a
brother officer of mine arrived in town, to whom I had owed some money
for a long while, she insisted upon my taking money to pay it, put a
pile of bank-notes in my had, and was quite mortified when she found I
only wanted 20 pounds. Now you see, O'Donahue, I have done this from
principle. She earns the money, and therefore she shall have the
control of it as long as we are good friends; and upon my honour, I
really think I love her better than I ever thought I could love any
woman in the world for she has the temper, the kindness, and the charity
of an angel, although not precisely the figure; but one can't have
everything in this world; and so now you have the whole of my story, and
what do you think of it?"

"You must present me to your wife, McShane."

"That I will with pleasure. She's like her rounds of beef--it's cut and
come again; but her heart is a beauty, and so is her beefsteak-pie--when
you taste it."

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

IN WHICH AN INTERCHANGE AND CONFIDENCE TAKE PLACE.

"And now, O'Donahue," said McShane, "if you are not yet tired of my
company, I should like to hear what you have been doing since we parted:
be quite as explicit, but not quite so long-winded, as myself; for I
fear that I tired you."

"I will be quite