The family lawyer, at the instance of the Earl,--as she said, though probably her own interference had been more energetic than that of the Earl,--had caused enquiries to be made.
Captain O'Hara, the husband of the lady who was now living on the coast of County Clare, and who was undoubtedly the father of the Miss O'Hara whom Fred knew, had passed at least ten of the latter years of his life at the galleys in the south of France.

He had been engaged in an extensive swindling transaction at Bordeaux, and had thence been transferred to Toulon, had there been maintained by France,--and was now in London.

The Countess in sending this interesting story to her nephew at Ennis, with ample documentary evidence, said that she was sure that he would not degrade his family utterly by thinking of allying himself with people who were so thoroughly disreputable; but that, after all that was passed, his uncle expected from him a renewed assurance on the matter.

He answered this in anger.

He did not understand why the history of Captain O'Hara should have been raked up.