Willy Burke, or, The Irish orphan in America - Digital Repository ...

158 WILLY BUEKE; OK,
" More shame for him, then, whoever he is", said
Willy, quietly, for he began to see that there was a design
upon him, and was determined to keep his temper,
with God's assistance. " He was never a good Catholic,
if he 's now going to be anything else, and the Church
will be well rid of him".
" Not so fast, my good fellow", said Wilson, in a tone
of exultation— " not so fast, if you please, for its your
own brother I mean".
Willy Burke turned pale, and anon red as scarlet ; he
much feared that what Wilson said was but too true, yet
he would not seem to believe it possible, and, swallowing
his emotion as he best could, he said with a laugh—it
was a forced laugh, too— " It 's all very well, Mr.
Wilson ! you can crack your jokes on me as long as you
please ; so long as its only myself you attack, I don y
t
care".
" But this is no joke, I assure you, Willy !" replied
the other ; " Hamilton can tell you that as well as I, for
we both had it from your brother himself. He told us
this very evening that he 's going to become a Protestant,
hoping that Mr. Watkins will reward him by making
him his heir. He deceives himself, poor fellow ; for
that gentleman has a nephew in Savannah, who will
inherit his fortune as a matter of right".
An ashy paleness now spread itself over Willy's face,
and, unable longer to preserve his composure, he would
fain leave the room, for he found it difficult to restrain
his tears. He arose in silence, and was walking towards
the door, repressing his emotion as much as he possibly
could, when Wilson's voice grated on his ear, and, turning
quickly round, he saw that almost every face wore &