arm, which was severely gashed on one side.- They have had a taste of me already, and the bloodhounds will never tire till they have tracked me home. And yet, if I had but one day's space-Kavanagh and his followers are at Kilmallock, and the castle might be mine again before the moon rises to-morrow evening."

Kavanagh at Kilmallock !" exclaimed Cormac. Oh, my chieftain! what do you here? Fly, while you have time, and leave us to deal with the foe."

"It were idle," repeated the Knight, "their horses are fresher than ours, and my dress would betray me.". 'My mare will bear you safe," cried the young soldier, with a burst of enthusiasm ; "and for your

dress, take mine-and let me play the White Knight for once."

The chieftain's eyes brightened at the word, and a hope seemed to bloom out upon his cheek,- but a low sound of suppressed agony from the bride, checked it in the spring.

"No, Cormac," he said, "I will not be your murderer."

"There is no fear," said Cormac, warmly, " you will be back in time to prevent mischief; and if you remain, it will be only to see me share your fate. This is my only chance for life; for I will give the world leave to cry shame upon my head, if ever I outlive my master."

"What says the bride ?" inquired the Knight, bending on her a look of mingled pity and admiration.

"I will answer for her," said Cormac,-" she had rather be the widow of a true Irishman, than the wife of a false one."

"O, allilu! we'll all be murthered if ye don't hurry," said the aunt. "What do you say, Minny, my child?" "Cormac speaks the truth," replied the trembling girl, hanging, in her weakness, on his shoulder; " if there be no other way, I am content it should be so."

She was rewarded for this effort of heroism, by a fervent pressure of the hand from her betrothed; and the exchange of accoutrements was presently effected. The Knight mounted Cormac's mare, and prepared to depart. My gallant fellow," he said, holding out his hand to the generous bridegroom, 'you do not mock the part you act, for nobility is stamped upon your soul. If you suffer for this, I have a vow, that I will never more wear any other garb than yours; for you are the knightlier of the two. Let me clasp your hand-than which a nobler never closed on gauntlet."

They joined hands in silence, and the chieftain galloped away, with his retainers. When they were out of hearing, Cormac turned to his bride, and again pressing her hand, while he looked fixedly into her eyes, he said, "Now, Minny, you will shew that you are fit for a soldier's wife. Go, with your aunt Norry, into your room. No one here will be molested, but those who are in arms for the Knight-and I will contrive to postpone any violence, for a day, at least."

"I will not leave you, Cormac," said Minny, speaking more firmly than she had done since the interruption of their festivity; "I am somewhat more to you, than you are to the White Knight."

Cormac smiled, and seemed to acquiesce, for some time, in her wishes. He took his seat at the hearth with the bespattered garb and sullied weapon of the Knight, and awaited in silence the approach of the pursuers, while Minny occupied a chair as near him as might be decorous, taking his new rank into consideration. They listened for a considerable time to the changeful rushing of the night wind among the trees that clothed the hill side -and the howling of the wolves, who were disturbed in their retreats by the sounds of combat. Those sounds, renewed after long intervals, and in an irregular manner, gradually approached more near; and they could plainly distinguish the trampling of horses' feet, over the beaten track that winded among the crags as far as the cottage door. Again, and with great earnestness, Cormac entreated his love to secure herself from the chances of their first encounter, by joining the family in the inner room: but she refused, in a resolute tone; and on his persisting, she assumed an impatience, and even a desperation of manner, which shewed that her purpose was not to be shaken

"Ask me not to leave you," she said: " any other command, I am ready to obey. I will be silent-I will not shriek, nor murmur, even though" she shud

"I will

dered, and let her head droop upon his hand. not leave you, Cormac. Whatever your fate shall be, I must remain to witness it. Do not doubt my firmness; only say that you will freely trust me, and I am ready for the worst that can happen. I feel that I can be calm, if you will only give me your confidence."

There are some spirits which, like the myrtle, require to be bruised and broken by affliction before their sweetness can be discovered. The young bride of Cormac might now have exhibited an instance of this moral truth. So perfectly did her manner indicate the degree of self-possession which she promised to maintain, that Cormac yielded, without further argument, to her entreaty, and resumed his place at the fire-side.

Scarcely had he performed this movement when a loud knocking was again heard at the door; and immediately after, as if this slight ceremony were only used in mockery, the frail barrier was once more dashed inward on its hinges. A crowd of soldiers rushed into the apartment, and stopped short on seeing the bridegroom habited in the accoutrements of the White Knight, and standing in a posture of defence between his foes and the young girl, who seemed to be restrained, rather by her deference to his wishes, than by any personal apprehension, from pressing forward to his side.

"Stand back!" said Cormac, levelling his blade at the foremost of the throng; "before you advance further, say what it is you seek. The inmates of this house (all

but one) are under the protection of the English law, and can only be molested at your great peril."

"If you be the White Knight, as your dress bespeaks you," returned an English officer, surrender your sword and person into our hands. It is only them we seek ; and no one else shall be disturbed, further than to answer our claim of bonaght bor: rest and refreshment for our small troop until the morning breaks."

"I am not so thirsty of blood for the sake of shedding it merely," returned the pseudo knight," that I would destroy a life of Heaven's bestowing in a vain encounter. Here is my sword; although I am well aware, that in yielding it without a struggle, I do not add a single one to my chances (if any I had) of safety in the hands of my Lord President."

"It would be dishonorable in me to deceive you," said the Englishman, your ready, though late surrender, can avail you little. I have here the warrant, which commands that the execution of the rebel captain should not be deferred longer than six hours after his 'arrest. I am not disposed, however, to be more rigid than my instructions compel me to be, so that you may call the whole six hours your own, if you can find use for so much time in this world."

Cormac turned pale, and thought of Minny; but he dared not look at her. The poor girl endeavoured to support herself against the chair which her lover had left vacant, and retired a little, lest he should observe