“Would you murder me?”

“I would crush you like an insect beneath my nail.  Murder you!  Have you thought what murder is;—­that there are more ways of murder than one?  Have you thought of the life of that young girl who now bears in her womb the fruit of your body?  Would you murder her,—­because she loved you, and trusted you, and gave you all simply because you asked her; and then think of your own life?  As the God of Heaven is above me, and sees me now, and the Saviour in whose blood I trust, I would lay down my life this instant, if I could save her from your heartlessness.”  So saying he too turned away his face and wept like a child.

After this the priest was gentler in his manner to the young man, and it almost seemed as though the Earl was driven from his decision.  He ceased, at any rate, to assert that Kate should never be Countess of Scroope, and allowed both the mother and Father Marty to fall into a state of doubt as to what his last resolve might be.  It was decided that he should go down to Ennistimon and sleep upon it.  On the morrow he would come up again, and in the meantime he would see Father Marty at the inn.  There were many prayers addressed to him both by the mother and the priest, and such arguments used that he had been almost shaken.  “But you will come to-morrow?” said the mother, looking at the priest as she spoke.

“I will certainly come to-morrow.”

“No doubt he will come to-morrow,” said Father Marty,—­who intended to imply that if Lord Scroope escaped out of Ennistimon without his knowledge, he would be very much surprised.

“Shall I not say a word to Kate?” the Earl asked as he was going.

“Not till you are prepared to tell her that she shall be your wife,” said the priest.

But this was a matter as to which Kate herself had a word to say.  When they were in the passage she came out from her room, and again rushed into her lover’s arms.  “Oh, Fred, let me told,—­let me told.  I will go with you anywhere if you will take me.”

“He is to come up to-morrow, Kate,” said her mother.

“He will be here early to-morrow, and everything shall be settled then,” said the priest, trying to assume a happy and contented tone.

“Dearest Kate, I will be here by noon,” said Lord Scroope, returning the girl’s caresses.

“And you will not desert me?”

“No, darling, no.”  And then he went, leaving the priest behind him at the cottage.

Father Marty was to be with him at the inn by eight, and then the whole matter must be again discussed.  He felt that he had been very weak, that he had made no use,—­almost no use at all,—­of the damning fact of the Captain’s existence.  He had allowed the priest to talk him down in every argument, and had been actually awed by the girl’s mother, and yet he was determined that he would not yield.  He felt more strongly than ever, now that he had again seen Kate O’Hara, that it would