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Of course the youthful warrior undertook the coo any distance to see a beautiful young lady on a cliff, and what youthful warrior would not undertake any journey to oblige a brother officer as an Earl? Full instructions were at once given to hi whoer He was told how to knock at the door, and send in word by the servant to say that he had called on behalf of Mr Neville He was to drive as far as Liscannor, and then get souide He would not perhapstwo or three miles Simpkinson declared that were it ten he would not mind it He was then to tell Mrs O'Hara--just the truth He was to say that athe death of the Earl, and that Neville had been obliged to start at once for England
"But you will be back?" said Simpkinson
Neville paused aof that to either of the ladies"
"Must I say I don't know? They'll be sure to ask, I should say"
"Of course they'll ask Just tell theed so quickly that nothing has been settled, but that they shall hear from me at once You can say that you suppose I shall be back, but that I promised that I would write Indeed that will be the exact truth, as I don't at all knohat I may do Be as civil to them as possible"
"That's of course"
"They are ladies, you know"
"I supposed that"
"And I ae theed that other matter satisfactorily"
"That other matter?"
"They'll understand The mother will at least, and you'd better say that to her You'll go early"
"I'll start at seven if you like"
"Eight or nine will do Thank you, Sied to you I hope I shall see you over in England sos are a little settled" With this Sihted,--as he was also with the commission entrusted to him
And so Fred Neville was the Earl of Scroope Not that he owned even to hi to it were as yet in his own possession Till the body of the old man should be placed in the family vault he would still be simply Fred Neville, a lieutenant in Her Majesty's 20th Hussars As he travelled holoomy mansion which was now in truth not only his home, but his own house, to do just as he pleased with it, he had much to fill his ht his new dignities sat upon his shoulders, now that they were his own But a fewthehtly enjoy a portion of the wealth which would belong to hi himself with the duties of his position He would take his yacht, and the girl he loved, and live abroad, with no present record of the coronet which would have descended to him, and with no assu had died aithin him A feords spoken to hihts within his own bosom had sufficed to explain to him that he must be the Earl of Scroope The family honours had come to hith and principles overn him And he did understand that it was islator, one who by the chance of his birth had a right to look for deferential respect even from his elders It was e doard theoodness It was much to be so placed that no consideration of money need be a bar to any wish,--that the considerations which should bar his pleasures need be only those of dignity, character, and propriety His uncle had told hiland owed to his country and to his order;--how such a one is bound by no ordinary bonds to a life of high resolves, and good endeavours "Sans reproche" was the motto of his house, and was emblazoned on the wall of the hall that was now his own If it ht be possible to hirade his order nor betray his country