woman, so terribly, hopelessly determined to
find possessions for her son. He had interrupted
her at her task, and she sat opposite to him
now, erect and grim, eager to question, to find
fault, to direct. She did not kiss him, nor
hold his hand, nor sit close to him, as many a
fond lonely mother would have done. She only
opened her grey eyes very widely, and gloated
over him. He did not think she was very
pleased to see him, this son. He never had
felt she was at any time very glad of his society.
Yet Lady Humphrey was a woman of strong
passions, and love of her handsome Pierce was
the strongest passion within her, except one.

As the two sat together there was a strange
likeness and unlikeness between them. The
likeness was in the shape and setting of the
eye, the unlikeness in its glance and colour.
The likeness was in the massive cast of the
nose and chin, the unlikeness in the workings
of the mouth. The woman's face was all
intellect and frozen passion. In the man's no
marks were to be traced but those of gaiety and
softness of heart, though a petulant trouble
overcast it at this moment.

"Well, Pierce, what news?" asked Lady
Humphrey, anxiously, seeing that cloud upon
her son's face.

"Oh, there is news of all kinds," said Pierce,
carelessly. "Our colonel's wife gave a ball
last night, and a rebellion in Ireland is more
likely than ever."

"You do not look so dismal merely for a
night's raking," said the mother, impatiently.
"Neither are you greatly concerned in the
affairs of Ireland. Let the savages cut their
throats if they like it. It is no affair of yours,
nor of mine. At this moment I want to hear
about Janet Golden."

"Yet, news from Ireland and news of Janet
might mean the same thing at this moment,"
said Pierce, in a caustic tone, most unusual with
him, "Miss Golden being in Ireland."

"Miss Golden being in Ireland," Lady Humphrey
repeated, as if assuring herself that the
words had been said.

"In Ireland with Lady Helen Munro. And
it's all over between us. We had a quarrel,
and I was sulky, and behaved like an idiot.
Lady Helen Munro arrived in town at a crisis,
and Janet returned with her to her glens."

A heavy frown gathered on Lady Humphrey's
brows at the first mention of the name Lady
Helen Munro, and grew dark at every word
that followed it.

"And you allowed this thing to happen?"
she said, turning almost fiercely on her son.

"Allowed? " echoed the young man, bitterly.
"My permission was not asked in the matter.
My opinion was not consulted. We had a
quarrel, as I have said. I sulked and stayed
away from the place for a fortnight. When I
returned at last I learned that Lady Helen
Munro had been there, and was gone; and in
place of Janet I found a small parcel containing
the ring I had given her. No letter,
message. And more than this, when I saw her
aunt, the old lady coolly reminded me of that
story of a silly childish betrothal between Janet
and Sir Archie Munro. She thought it very
probable the old arrangement would be carried
out now, according to the wishes of both
families, that the marriage might take place this
summer."

"Archie Munro! — Archie Munro!"
murmured Lady Humphrey, almost in a whisper,
and with an unwholesome light in her eyes.
"I am very poor, Pierce, very poor, but I
would risk ending my days in an almshouse to
prevent such a marriage."

"Yes, mother, it was you who led me into
this trouble," said Pierce, sadly. "I might
never have met Janet had you not driven me to
seek her for her money. I am punished now,
for I love the girl, and I have lost her."

"All through your own foolish temper, as you
confess," said his mother. "You have lost her
for the moment, it is true, but you will find her
again. She has gone off in a fit of pique, and is
breaking her heart by this time. You must
write to her at once, or follow her."

"I will do neither," said Pierce. "If I were
not a poor man, and she a wealthy woman, I
might think of it; but, as it is, let Sir Archie
win her if he can. She must hold up a finger
and beckon me before I go near her. I don't
expect that she will do it, for she's prouder and
stiffer than I am, if that be possible. So Sir
Archie will get her, I suppose."

"Softly, Pierce; you run on too fast. I will
own to you now that I know more of the
progress of affairs in that wild country than I have
led you to suppose. And, trust me, the coming
year will be no time for marrying and giving in
marriage in Ireland."

"Tush, mother! How women exaggerate all
dangers. Some parts of the country are
disturbed; but the glens will be quiet enough.
Sir Archie's people are too happy in their lot to
turn malcontents, and Sir Archie himself is as
free to pursue the ways of peace in his castle at
Glenluce, at this moment, as you or I. Only,"
he added, with a short laugh, "he has got a
trifle better means of doing it."

"He may not be long in that condition,"
persisted Lady Humphrey, again in that soft
voice. "Wiser men have not been able to keep
free of suspicion in times of disturbance. Sir
Archie has rebel blood in his veins."

"I wish him no evil," growled Pierce.

"Wishing will not alter fate," said Lady
Humphrey. "I have more thoughts about
these Irish people than you could imagine—
more than you could imagine, you simple boy,
if you sat here till midnight thinking about it.
The danger of their position at this moment
haunts me."

"I did not know you sympathised with them
so very much," said Pierce, a little injured;
"but of course they are old friends."

"Old friends," repeated Lady Humphrey,
with a pitying, an almost tender glance at her
son's troubled face.

"Older than I am," said Pierce, " therefore