son she had, but a daughter she never had."

"Let me ask you, young man, on what business were you abroad last night?
I expect you will answer me candidly?"

"It's no matther," replied young Lamh Laudher gloomily, "my character's
gone. I cannot be worse, an' I will tell no man how I spent it, till I
have an opportunity of clarin' myself."

"If you spent it innocently," returned the magistrate, "you can have no
hesitation in making the disclosure we require."

"I will not mention it," said the other; "I was disgraced, an' that is
enough. I think but little of the robbery."

Brookleigh understood him; but the last assertion, though it exonerated
him in the opinion of a man who knew something about character, went far
in that of his friends who were present to establish his guilt.

They then withdrew; and it would have been much to young Lamh Laudher's
advantage if this private interview had never taken place.




CHAPTER V.

The next morning O'Rorke and his wife! waited upon Mr. Brookleigh to
state, that in their opinion it would be more judicious to liberate
Nell M'Collum, provided he kept a strict watch upon all her motions.