to fatigue the good old general; and a letter from him to Sir James
Brooke would do all that the count could effect by his presence: the
search for the papers would be made by Sir James, and if the packet
could be recovered, or if any memorandum or mode of ascertaining that
it had actually been delivered to old Reynolds could be discovered,
Lord Colambre said he would then call upon the count for his
assistance, and trouble him to identify the packet; or to go with him
to Mr. Reynolds to make farther inquiries; and to certify, at all
events, the young man's dying acknowledgment of his marriage and of
his child.

The place in the mail, just in time, was taken. Lord Colambre sent a
servant in search of his father, with a note, explaining the necessity
of his sudden departure. All the business which remained to be done in
town he knew Lord Clonbrony could accomplish without his assistance.
Then he wrote a few lines to his mother, on the very sheet of paper
on which, a few hours before, he had sorrowfully and slowly begun,

"_My dear mother--Miss Nugent._"

He now joyfully and rapidly went on,

"My dear mother and Miss Nugent,

"I hope to be with you on Wednesday se'nnight; but if unforeseen
circumstances should delay me, I will certainly write to you again.
Dear mother, believe me,

"Your obliged and grateful son,