The full burthen of this day’s care, however, had not been yet laid upon him.  On returning home, he heard from one of his laborers that a notice to quit his farm of Ahadarra had been left at his house.  This, after the heavy sums of money which he had expended in its improvement and reclamation, was a bitter addition to what he was forced to suffer.  On hearing of this last circumstance, and after perusing the notice which the man, who had come on some other message, had brought with him, he looked around him on every side for a considerable time.  At length he said, “Dora, is not this a fine country?”

“It is,” she replied, looking at him with surprise.

“Would you like,” he added, “to lave it?”

“To lave it, Bryan!” she replied.  “Oh, no, not to lave it;” and as she spoke, a deadly paleness settled upon her face.

“Poor Dora,” he said, after surveying her for a time with an expression of love and compassion, “I know your saicret, and have done so this long time; but don’t be cast down.  You have been a warm and faithful little friend to me, and it will go hard or I’ll befriend you yet.”

Dora looked up into his face, and as she did, her eyes filled with tears.  “I won’t deny what you know, Bryan,” she replied; “and unless he——­”

“Well, dear, don’t fret; he and I will have a talk about it; but, come what may, Dora, in this neglected and unfortunate country I will not stay.  Here, now, is a notice to quit my farm, that I have improved at an expense of seven or eight hundred pounds, an’ its now goin’ to be taken out of my hands, and every penny I expended on it goes into the pocket of the landlord or agent, or both, and I’m to be driven out of house and home without a single farthing of compensation for the buildings and other improvements that I made on that farm.”

“It’s a hard and cruel case,” said Dora; “an there can be no doubt but that the landlord and Fethertonge are both a pair of great rogues.  Can’t you challenge them, an’ fight them?”

“Why, what a soldier you are, Dora!” replied her brother, smiling; “but you don’t know that their situation in life and mine puts that entirely out o’ the question.  If a landlord was to be called upon to fight every tenant he neglects, or is unjust to, he would have a busy time of it.  No, no, Dora dear, my mind’s made up.  We will lave the country.  We will go to America; but, in the mean time, I’ll see what I can do for you.”

“Bryan, dear,” she said in a voice of entreaty, “don’t think of it.  Oh, stay in your own country.  Sure what other country could you like as well?”