r the engagement, sir," said
Quackinboss, as he wrung Lay ton's hand. "No, sir, I 'd not take it, for
even four cities of the Union."

Although thus the project was ratified between them, scarcely a day
passed that Layton did not experience some compunction for his pledge.
Now, it was a repugnance to the sort of enterprise he was about to
engage in, the criticisms to which he was to expose himself, and the
publicity he was to confront; nor could all his companion's sanguine
assurances of success compensate him for his own heartfelt repugnance to
try the ordeal.

"After all," thought he, "failure, with all its pangs of wounded
self-love, will only serve to show Quackinboss how deeply I feel myself
his debtor when I am content to risk so much to repay him."

Such was the bond he had signed, such his struggles to fulfil its
obligations. One only condition he stipulated for,--he wished to go to
Ireland before setting out for the States, to see the last resting-place
of his poor mother ere he quitted his country, perhaps forever. Dr.
Millar, too, had mentioned that a number of letters were amongst the few
relics she had left, and he desired, for many reasons, that these
should not fall into strangers' hands. As for Qnackinboss, he agreed to
everything. Indeed, he thought that as there was no use in reaching the
States before "the fall," they could not do better than ramble about
Ireland, while making some sort of preparation for the coming campaign.

"How sad this place makes me!" said Layton, as they strolled along one
of the leaf-strewn alleys. "I wish I had not come here."

"That's just what I was a-thinkin' myself," said the other. "I remember
coming back all alone once over the Michigan prairie, which I had
travelled about eight months before with a set of hearty companions,
and whenever I 'd come up to one of the spots where our tent used to be
pitched, and could mark the place by the circle of greener grass, with a
burned-up patch where the fire stood, it was all I could do not to burst
out a-cryin' like a child! It's a main cruel thing to go back alone to
where you 've once been happy in, and there 's no forgettin' the misery
of it ever after."

"That's true," said Layton; "the pleasant memories are erased forever.
Let us go."

CHAPTER XXV. BEHIND THE SCENES

It is amongst the prerogatives of an author to inform his reader of many
things which go on "behind the scenes" of life. Let me, therefore,
ask