As the old man turned his eyes upon her they literally danced with delight. “Ah, Willy!” said he, “is it any wonder I should love her?” “I have often heard,” replied Reilly, “that it is impossible to know her, and not to love her. I now believe it.” “Thank you, Reilly; thank you, Willy; shake hands. Come, Helen, shake hands with him. That's a compliment. Shake hands with him, darling. There, now, that's all right. Yes, my love, by all means, come down and give us tea here.” Innocent old man--the die is now irrevocably cast! That mutual pressure, and that mutual glance. Alas! alas! how strange and incomprehensible is human destiny! After she had gone upstairs the old man said, “You see, Willy, how my heart and soul are in that angelic creature. The great object, the great delight of her life, is to anticipate all my wants, to study whatever is agreeable to me--in fact, to make me happy. And she succeeds. Every thing she does pleases me. By the grave of Schomberg, she's beyond all price. It is true we never had a baronet in the family, and it would gratify me to hear her called Lady Whitecraft; still, I say, I don't care for rank or ambition; nor would I sacrifice my child's happiness to either. And, between you and me, if she declines to have him, she shan't, thats all that's to be said about it. He's quite round in the shoulders; and yet so inconsistent are women that she calls a protuberance that resembles the letter C the line of beauty. Then again he bit me in 'Hop-and-go-constant;' and you know yourself, Willy, that no person likes to be bit, especially by the man he intends for his son-in-law. If he gives me the bite before marriage, what would he not do after it?” “This, sir, is a subject,” replied Reilly, “on which I must decline to give an opinion; but I think that no father should sacrifice the happiness of his daughter to his own inclinations. However, setting this matter aside, I have something of deep importance to mention to you.” “To me! Good heavens! What is it?” “The Red Rapparee, sir, has formed a plan to rob, possibly to murder, you, and what is worse--” “Worse! Why, what the deuce--worse! Why, what could be worse?” “The dishonor of your daughter. It is his intention to carry her off to the mountains; but pardon me, I cannot bear to dwell upon the diabolical project.” The old man fell back, pale, and almost insensible, in his chair. “Do not be alarmed, sir,” proceeded Keilly, “he will be disappointed. I have taken care of that.” “But, Mr. Reilly, what--how--for heaven's sake tell me what you know about it. Are you sure of this? How did you come to hear of it? Tell me--tell me every thing about it! We must prepare to receive the villains--we must instantly get assistance. My child--my life--my Helen, to fall into the hands of this monster!” “Hear me, sir,” said Reilly, “hear me, and you will perceive I have taken measures to frustrate all his designs, and to have him a prisoner before to-morrow's sun arises.”