“No, no, no, my darling Una, acushla gra gal machree, no!  I will promise the same to you.”

She paused, and a silence of nearly a minute ensued.

“I don’t know that it’s right, Connor; I have taken one wrong step as it is, but, well as I love you, I won’t take another; whatever I do I must feel that it’s proper.  I’m not sure that this is.”

“Don’t you say you love me, Una?”

“I do; you know I do.”

“I have only another question to ask; could you, or would you, love me as you do, and marry another?”

“I could not, Connor, and would not, and will not.  I am ready to promise; I may easily do it; for God knows the very thought of marrying another, or being deprived of you, is more than I can bear.”

“Well, then,” returned her lover, seizing her hand, “I take God to witness that, whilst you are alive an’ faithful to me, I will never marry any woman but yourself.  Now,” he continued, “put your right hand into mine, and say the same words.”

She did so, and was in the act of repeating the form, “I take God to witness——­” when a vivid flash of lightning shot from the darkness above them, and a peal of thunder almost immediately followed, with an explosion so loud as nearly to stun both.  Una started with terror, and instinctively withdrew her hand from Connor’s.

“God preserve us!” she exclaimed; “that’s awful.  Connor, I feel as if the act I am goin’ to do is not right.  Let us put it off at all events, till another time.”

“Is it because there comes an accidental brattle of thunder?” he returned.  “Why, the thunder would come if we were never to change a promise.  You have mine, now, Una dear, an’ I’m sure you wouldn’t wish me to be bound an’ yourself free.  Don’t be afraid, darling; give me your hand, an’ don’t tremble so; repeat the words at wanst, an’ let it be over.”

He again took her hand, when she repeated the form in a distinct, though feeble voice, observing, when it was concluded,

“Now, Connor, I did this to satisfy you, but I still feel like one who has done a wrong action.  I am yours now, but I cannot help praying to God that it may end happily for us both.”

“It must, darling Una—­it must end happily for us both.  How can it be otherwise?  For my part, except to see you my wife, I couldn’t be happier than I am this minute; exceptin’ that, my heart has all it wished for.  Is it possible—­Oh! is it possible that this is not a dream, my heart’s life?  But if it is—­if it is—­I never more will wish to waken.”

Her young lover was deeply affected as he uttered these words, nor was Una proof against the emotion they produced.

“I could pray to God, this moment, with a purer heart than I ever had before,” he proceeded, “for makin’ my lot in life so happy.  I feel that I am better and freer from sin than I ever was yet.  If we’re faithful and true to one another, what can the world do to us?”