"Poor Colonel A---- died of his wounds, a fortnight ago. He was as fine fellow as ever breathed; I was close by him when he fell, and I felt that a thousand of those infernal Sikhs would not make up for such a life. They say I am sure of the Lieutenant Colonelcy. Heaven and the Horse Guards only know. If they will give it I will take it, and be thankful, but I have no money to purchase, and I will not ask Egerton's interest. "May I hope you will answer _this_ letter, if it is not too much trouble; perhaps Winter, if he is near you, will act as your amanuensis; dare I suggest Miss Vernon? I long for some news from my friends, for I feel anxious, somehow, since I heard you had left A----, and the old Priory. I have a sketch of it which I often set up before me as I smoke my last cigar, before turning in, to ensure pleasant dreams. Once more, my dear sir, pray write: "With the warmest esteem, "Faithfully yours, "Fred. B. Egerton." "A kind, warm-hearted letter," said the Colonel, at its conclusion, in the slow, faint tone, now usual with him. "I am gratified to find him so thoughtful of the past. Ah! if--" he stopped. "If what?" asked Kate, carelessly, as she was re-reading the letter. "Nothing, dear child," he returned, despondingly. "You had better tell nurse, she will like to hear of Denny." "Glory be to God!" ejaculated Mrs. O'Toole, as Kate read the passage relating to her son, aloud. "An' so they're comin' home?" "No, dear nurse, Captain Egerton says, '_if_ I ever re-visit England.'" "Well, sure it's all the same; whin people niver intend a thing they niver talk iv it, but whin they begin to wish for it, they begin to talk iv it, an' whin they've talked a bit, they must do it." The Colonel smiled at Mrs. O'Toole's logic. And not many minutes after the Doctor came in. "Pulse very unsteady," said he, gravely and interrogatively to Kate, "any disturbing cause?" "He has been disappointed about a letter, he hoped to receive." "Ah, these letters are bad, very bad; he is not getting on as I could wish," added the doctor to Mrs. O'Toole, as she followed him to the hall door to receive his parting instructions, "could you not get up some pious fraud about this letter? invent one, eh?" "Oh, God bless ye, docther, it's not possible, any ways, sure if it was I'm the woman would do it." "Well, I suppose so; but, I tell you, I dread another bursting of a blood vessel, and then." The doctor paused, shook his head, drew on his glove, and departed in the teeth of a bitter March wind, and a cloud of dust. "It seems a very cold, wretched day," said the Colonel, as Kate took up her work; "is poor Cormac never let into the house now?" "Oh, yes, grandpapa, he generally lies outside the door, but I did not like to let him in for fear of disturbing you?"