if it be necessary. Good morning."

"Good-bye, Lady Desmond," said Owen. And as he took off his hat with
his left hand, he put out his right to shake hands with her, as was
customary with him. Lady Desmond was at first inclined to refuse the
courtesy; but she either thought better of such intention, or else
she had not courage to maintain it; for at parting she did give him
her hand.

"Good-bye, Lady Clara;" and he also shook hands with her, and it
need hardly be said that there was a lover's pressure in the grasp.

"Good-bye," said Clara, through her tears, in the saddest, soberest
tone. He was going away, happy, light-hearted, with nothing to
trouble him. But she had to encounter that fearful task of telling
her own crime. She had to depart with her mother;--her mother, who,
though never absolutely unkind, had so rarely been tender with her.
And then her brother--!

"Desmond," said Fitzgerald, "walk as far as the lodge with me like a
good fellow. I have something that I want to say to you."

The mother thought for a moment that she would call her son back;
but then she bethought herself that she also might as well be
without him. So the young earl, showing plainly by his eyes that he
knew that much was the matter, went back with Fitzgerald towards the
lodge.

"What is it you have done now?" said the earl. The boy had some sort
of an idea that the offence committed was with reference to his