son. The main object of each and all of these congenial spirits was to obtain a footing, sure and permanent, in "good" society; these ambitious views were, however, cunningly kept in the background, and the Daly family, unconscious butts though they were, and the cause of many a brilliant witticism, intended (but, as we all know, "it is not in mortals to command success") to set the mess table in a roar by the constant acceptors of their hospitality, were, nevertheless, "immensely taken up" and greatly patronised by the "fine young English officers" who condescended to flirt with the demoiselles Daly, loaf about "Daublin" with their brother, and solace their inner man with the good dinners. and well-chosen wines to which, at his "jolly" house in Stephen's Green, "the Captain" so frequently took pleasure in bidding them. Amongst the most often to be met with habitués of the many who gladly availed themselves of Captain Daly's hospitality was George Bickersteth. His good looks, his free and easy manners (for a fellow feeling had made him wondrous quick, and he had early ascertained not only that the lately defunct Daly had, like his own father, been in business, but that those who reaped the fruits of his untiring industry winced under the recollection that so it was), his free and easy manners-free, because the knowledge he had arrived at had produced the effect of making him feel thoroughly at home with his new friends-were thoroughly appreciated by the Dalys. By Miss Alice Daly, the youngest and prettiest of the girls, he was especially looked up to and admired, for was he not handsome, rich, an Englishman, and above all, a Guardsman? Under these circumstances one of those open flirtations, which look as if they "must end in something," was speedily commenced, and as rapidly carried on between the two. Captain Bickersteth, who had early been made free of the house, soon began, as a matter of course, to be unmercifully chaffed on his evident devotion to its fairest inmate. Pretty violet-eyed Alice fell, or fancied that she did, in love, a proposal in form on the part of the only son of the retired druggist followed, and Miss Alice's sweet face was bright with hopeful smiles. Tom Daly, arm-in-arm with the English friend, strove in vain to conceal the pride with which he received the congratulations of his acquaintances, and everything went " merry as a marriage bell," when lo! an event occurred by which all this jubilation was brought to a sudden and— for the Dalys - a most mortifying conclusion. From Captain Bickersteth, who had reluctantly torn himself from the society of his fiancée, in order, as Tom Daly facetiously informed his friends, that he might "ask papa's" consent (quite a matter of form only, you will understand) to a union which was to make the two young people happy, the following heartless letter was, by the indignant brother, in due course of time received : "DEAR TOM,-I hope you will accept my excuses, and say everything that is right and proper for me to your sister; as well as that I'm awfully sorry we cannot be married. I spoke to the governor, thinking he would be all serene; but he won't stump up, and there's an end of it." To do justice by description to the bitter wrath of the insulted family would be impossible. In that wrath all tender sentiments were, fortunately for the ill-used Alice, merged; while fiercely from each heart and lips, with the single exception of those of the elder Miss Daly, who "always said" (at least so the young lady, when the explosion came, vowed) "that Captain Bickersteth had been made too much of from the first," arose a cry for vengeance deep and dire on the offender. Nor was the cry altogether uttered in vain; for a full discovery of the false deceiver's birth and parentage quickly followed on the notoriety which the Dalys, who, far from following the wise Frenchman's advice to wash the family soiled linen in private, aired theirs on every branch and twig, gave to the episode of a young girl's life, which can never, even when taken at the best, be otherwise than disadvantageous to a demoiselle à marier. Retribution speedily overtook the vain, heartless man, who, in coming thus imprudently to the front, had forfeited all chance of keeping secret the family facts of which he was so miserably ashamed. How the truth that Captain Bickersteth's birth and position in life were not such as to allow of his behaving like a scoundrel with impunity became patent, is an affair of no importance; it is sufficient that it did become patent, and that from that time the cause of the injured Dalys was amply avenged. It may seem strange to those who have not been in the habit of noting the deteriorating effects, amounting to what I may call a moral blood poisoning, which the vitiated atmosphere of the world in which we live can produce on even "noble" minds, that had George Bickersteth not been a "snob," and had the fortune which pretty Mrs. Cuthbert had left her husband's roof to share, not been made behind a country counter, Gerald Cuthbert would have borne with greater equanimity the shock of hearing that his wife had left her home for that of the brother officer, his contempt for whom he (Cuthbert) had never attempted to disguise. It was the knowledge of this contempt which first prompted the "infernal cad"--as the abandoned gentleman in his wrath designated the druggist's son-to the guilty deed that he committed; nor-so true is the saying that "they ne'er pardon who have done the wrong"-did his desire for vengeance end here. Deep, and of a settled purpose was it; and so cunningly planned and effectually carried out that generations yet unborn were destined to feel its effects. This evil also had its source in the throbbings of vanity, wounded by the sting of cutting words! for "Of all the griefs that harass the distress'd, The "nine days' wonder" was over-Captain Bickersteth had bidden good-bye to the Guards; proceedings in the Divorce Court were being taken, and the unprincipled seducer was more than beginning to tire of the companion whose ideas were even fewer and more far between than his own-when one day (a gloomy Sunday |