Ormond

rust her trembling hand down to the bottom of the silk bag, into which the keys had fallen. Impatient of

pposite side of the room; Sir Ulick was sitting beside her, talking earnestly. Lady Annaly had just retired. "For Heaven's sake, what's the matter?" cried he, stopping in the middle of a sentence, on seeing Miss Annaly grow suddenly pale as death. Her eyes were fixed on the door of

ting to the door, "did you see

y," said Miss Black. "A qua

ing them all; and whilst the surrounding company were fully occupied about their clothes, and their fears, and apologies, he made his way onwards to the g

n the door, and

back as she attempted to follow: but, recollecting that she might spread the report of mischief, if h

mething, Miss Black - f

, you might," said Lady O'Shane, as she tott

rrupted he. "Sit down on the steps - there

speak," sai

mond had burst in, covered with bloo

no time for that though

gave him the ke

It was a fine moonlight night. He saw footsteps on the path leading to the gardener'

ming," said Miss Annaly, who had n

barrow - a gentleman on horseback, with a servant and many persons walking. Sir Uli

k God! But Ormond - where is

much intoxicated. While Sir Ulick had been stopped by their ineffectual attempts to explain, the people who were carrying the man on the hand-barrow came up. Ormond app

e?" said

e your honour," answered

pened it?" s

could articulate, "the fellow was insolent, and we cut him dow

w dreadful to come to one's senses all at once, as I did - the moment after I h

hat fired at him," i

riking his forehead: "I did

me answer, which Marcus said was insolent; and inquiring the man's name, and hearing it was Carroll, said all the Carrolls were bad people - rebels. Moriarty defied him to prove that- and added some expressions about tyranny, which enraged Ormond. This part of the provocation Ormond did not state, but merely said he was thrown into a passion by some observation of Moriarty's; and first he lifted his whip to give the fellow a horsewhipping. Moriarty seized hold of the whip, and struggled to wrest it from his hand; Ormond

a surgeon?" said

you come on to the gardener's house; I want you to see him, to kn

zing upon them with unmeaning eyes for a moment in silence, walked rapidly on: as he was passing by the steps of the green-house, he stopped short at the sight of Miss Ann

said Miss Annaly, "I will, now that I am well enough,

f the conservatory, to let Mi

to dance any more to-night,

e - o

go up the back stairs to Lady Annaly's room, without meeting any one; and you, Lady O'Shane," added he, in a low

nd the house, and in their way they passed t

ay," said Sir Ulic

die at our gardener's - indeed, the bringing him here at all I think a very strange step and encroachment of Mr. Ormond's. It will make the whole thing so p

- nonsens

d-barrow, and who was now standing at the gardener's door, observed, that Moriarty's people lived five miles off. Ormond, who had gone into the house to the wounded man, being told what Lady O'Shane was saying, came out; she repeated her words as he re-appeared. Naturally of sudden violent temper, and being now in the highest state of suspense and irritation, he broke out, forgetful

inferior, totally forgetting his own dependent situatio

r Ormond, you don't know what you

ve me," said he, in a very gentle tone. "My head certainly is not - Oh! may yo

ounded fellow remain here - I won't have him stirred to-night - we shall see what ought to be done in the morning. Ormond, you forgot yourself strangely towards Lady O'Shane - as to this fellow, don't make such a rout about the business; I dare say he wi

ing goes on as usual,

y scrape. I pity you from my soul - I'm rash myself. Send the surgeon to me when he has seen the fellow. Depend upon me, if the worst come to the worst, there's nothing in

; but repeated, "it will be murder - it will be murder - my

before morning," said Sir

of blood. The moments in which Ormond was occupied in assisting him were the least painful. It was when he had nothing left to do, when he had leisure to think, that he was most miserable; then the agony of suspense, and the horror of remorse, were felt, till feeling was exhausted; and he would sit motionless and stupified, till he was wakened again from this suspension of thought and feeling by some moan of the poor man, or some delirious startings. Toward morning the wounded man lay easier; and as Ormond was stooping over his bed to see whether he was asleep, Moriarty opened his eyes, and fixing them on Ormond, said, in broken sentences, but so as very distinctly to be understood, "Do

d his last. A cold tremor came over Ormond - he rose in his bed, listening in acute agony, when to his relief he at last distinctly heard Moriarty breathing strongly, and soon afterwards (no music was ever so delightful to Ormond's ear) heard him begin to breathe loudly, as if asleep. The morning light dawned soon afterwards, and the crowing of a cock was heard, which Ormond feared might waken him; but the poor man slept soundly through all these usual noises: the heaving of the bed-clothes over his breast went on with uninterrupted regularity. The gardener and his wife softly opened the door of the room, to inquire how things wer

e the soft sleep he

o her husband, "Come off to our work, Johnny - he'd like to be alone - he's not equal to lis

he birds were singing, and the smell of the honeysuckle with which the porch was covered,

ew short hours - by my own folly, my own madness! Every animal," thought he, as his attention was caught by the house dog, who was licking his hand, and as h

essed him, that he stood motionless, till he

s it with you, my boy? - T

Heaven! - yes

ick and thin, you know, for you, as if it were for my own son. But Lady O'Shane," said Sir Ulick, changing his tone

"that I spoke too hastily la

y night of it - Lady O'Shane has been crying and whining in my ears. She says I encourage you in being insolent, and so forth: in short, she cannot endure you in the house any longer. I suspect that sour one" (Sir Ulick, among his intimates, always designated Miss Black in this m

e most ungrateful - But I must not speak so loud," continued he, lowering his voice, "lest it should waken Mor

your affection now press upon me, so that - I can't express myself; but depend upon it, suspicion of your friendship is the last that could enter my mi

hardly pronou

no, by all the saints, and al

ch happiness to me: I will no more be an object of contention between you and Lady O'Shane. Give her up rather than me - Heaven forbid!

ick appeared much affected, and in a sta

s. Moriarty must be moved to-day - sent to his own friends. That point he had, for peace sake, conceded to her ladyship, he said; but he should expect, on he

Hermitage, he threw all the blame on Lady O'Shane; Ormond never doubting the steadiness of Sir

oy? - What will you do with your

s of me, my dear sir: I'll find mean

st as I am, and he is not cursed with a wife, and is ble

favourite with his majesty than I am. Fare ye well - Heaven bless you! my boy," said Sir Ulick, with warm emphasis. "Remember, whenever you want supplies, Castle Hermitage i

rse into Ormond's

ype="