A long interval had then elapsed, and nothing had been heard of him, when a starving man was discovered by a traveller, lost on a Western prairie.

The ill-fated Irish lord had associated himself with an Indian tribe--had committed some offence against their laws--and had been deliberately deserted and left to die.

On his recovery, he wrote to his elder brother (who had inherited the title and estates on the death of the old Earl) to say that he was ashamed of the life that he had led, and eager to make amendment by accepting any honest employment that could be offered to him.

The traveller who had saved his life, and whose opinion was to be trusted, declared that the letter represented a sincerely penitent state of mind.

There were good qualities in the vagabond, which only wanted a little merciful encouragement to assert themselves.