The messenger you sent to us brought us good news, and told us that you were gone home to your own affairs.  That I suppose was right, but why have you not written to us before this?  Why have you not told my poor girl that you will come to her, and atone to her for the injury you have done in the only manner now possible?  I cannot and do not believe that you intend to evade the solemn promises that you have made her, and allow her to remain here a ruined outcast, and the mother of your child.  I have thought you to be both a gentleman and a christian, and I still think so.  Most assuredly you would be neither were you disposed to leave her desolate, while you are in prosperity.

I call upon you, my lord, in the most solemn manner, with all the energy and anxiety of a mother,—­of one who will be of all women the most broken-hearted if you wrong her,—­to write at once and let me know when you will be here to keep your promise.  For the sake of your own offspring I implore you not to delay.

   We feel under deep obligations to you for what you did in
   respect of that unhappy man.  We have never for a moment doubted
   your generosity.

   Yours, My Lord,

   With warmest affection, if you will admit it,

   C. O’HARA.

   P.S.  I ask you to come at once and keep your word.  Were you to
   think of breaking it, I would follow you through the world.

The young Earl, when he received this, was not at a loss for a moment to attribute the body of Mrs. O’Hara’s letter to Father Marty’s power of composition, and the postscript to the unaided effort of the lady herself.  Take it as he might—­as coming from Mrs. O’Hara or from the priest,—­he found the letter to be a great burden to him.  He had not as yet answered the one received from Kate, as to the genuineness of which he had entertained no doubt.  How should he answer such letters?  Some answer must of course be sent, and must be the forerunner of his future conduct.  But how should he write his letter when he had not as yet resolved what his conduct should be?

He did attempt to write a letter, not to either of the ladies, but to the priest, explaining that in the ordinary sense of the word he could not and would not marry Miss O’Hara, but that in any way short of that legitimate and usual mode of marriage, he would bind himself to her, and that when so bound he would be true to her for life.  He would make any settlement that he, Father Marty, might think right either upon the mother or upon the daughter.  But Countess of Scroope the daughter of that Captain O’Hara should not become through his means.  Then he endeavoured to explain the obligation laid upon him by his uncle, and the excuse which he thought he could plead in not having been informed of Captain O’Hara’s existence.  But the letter when written seemed to him to be poor and mean, cringing and at the same time false.  He told himself that