Dunroe was by no means in anything like good-humor this morning.  The hints which Norton had communicated to him at breakfast, respecting the subject of M’Bride’s private interviews with his father, had filled him with more alarm than he wished to acknowledge.  Neither, on the other hand, had he any serious apprehensions, for, unhappily for himself, he was one of those easy and unreflecting men who seldom look beyond the present moment, and can never be brought to a reasonable consideration of their own interests, until, perhaps, it is too late to secure them.

All we can communicate to the reader with respect to the conference between these three redoubtable individuals is simply its results.  On that evening Norton and M’Bride started for France, with what object will be seen hereafter, Birney having followed on the same route the morning but one afterwards, for the purpose of securing the documents in question.

Dunroe now more than ever felt the necessity of urging his marriage with Lucy.  He knew his father’s honorable spirit too well to believe that he would for one moment yield his consent to it under the circumstances which were now pending.  With the full knowledge of these circumstances he was not acquainted.  M’Bride had somewhat overstated the share of confidence to which in this matter he had been admitted by his master.  His information, therefore, on the subject, was not so accurate as he wished, although, from motives of dishonesty and a desire to sell his documents to the best advantage, he made the most of the knowledge he possessed.  Be this as it may, Dunroe determined, as we said, to bring about the nuptials without delay, and in this he was seconded by Sir Thomas Gourlay himself, who also had his own motives for hastening them.  In fact, here were two men, each deliberately attempting to impose upon the other, and neither possessed of one spark of honor or truth, although the transaction between them was one of the most solemn importance that can occur in the great business of life.  The world, however, is filled with similar characters; and not all the misery and calamity that ensue from such fraudulent and dishonest practices will, we fear, ever prevent the selfish and ambitious from pursuing the same courses.

“Sir Thomas,” said Dunroe, in a conversation with the baronet held on the very day after Norton and M’Bride had set out on their secret expedition, “this marriage is unnecessarily delayed.  I am anxious that it should take place as soon as it possibly can.”

“But,” replied the baronet, “I have not been able to see your father on the subject, in consequence of his illness.”

“It is not necessary,” replied his lordship.  “You know what kind of a man he is.  In fact, I fear he is very nearly non compos as it is.  He has got so confoundedly crotchety of late, that I should not feel surprised if, under some whim or other, he set his face-against it altogether.  In fact, it is useless, and worse than useless, to consult him at all about it.  I move, therefore, that we go on without him.”