“Villain!” replied Woodward, putting his hand to his sword:  “I allow no man to call me villain unpunished.”

The stranger contemptuously and indignantly waved his hand to him, as much as to say—­presently, presently, but not now.  The truth is, the loud tones of his voice had caused Alice to open her eyes, and instead of trading the dreaded being before her, there stood the symbol of benevolence and moral power, with his mild, but clear and benignant eye smiling upon her.

“My dear child,” said he, “look upon me and give me your hands.  You shall, with the assistance of that God who has so mysteriously gifted me, soon be well, and free from the evil and diabolical influence which I has been for such selfish and accursed purposes exercised over you.”

He then took her beautiful but emaciated hands into his own, which were also soft and beautiful, and keeping his eyes fixed upon hers, he then, with that necessary freedom which physicians exercise with their patients, pressed his hands after a time upon her temples, her head, her eyes, and her heart, the whole family being present, servants and all.  The effect was miraculous.  In the course of twenty minutes the girl was recovered; her spirits—­her health had returned to her.  Her eyes smiled as she turned them with delight upon her father and mother.

“O, papa!” she exclaimed, smiling, “O, dear mamma, what can this mean?  I am; cured, and what is more, I am no longer afraid of that vile, bad man.  May the God of heaven be praised for this! but how will we thank—­how can we thank the benevolent gentleman who has rescued me from death?”

“More thanks are due,” replied the stranger, smiling, “to Father Mulrenin here, who acquainted me in a letter, not only with your melancholy condition, but with the supposed cause of it.  However, let your thanks be first returned to God, whose mysterious instrument I only am.  Now, sir,” said he, turning to Woodward, “you laid your hand upon your sword.  I also wear a sword, not for aggression but defence.  You know we met before.  I was not then aware of your personal history, but I am now.  I have just returned from London, where I was at the court of his Majesty Charles the Second.  While in London I met your granduncle, and from him I learned your history, and a bad one it is.  Now, sir, I beg to inform you that your malignant and diabolical influence over the person of this young lady has ceased forever.  As to the future, she is free from that influence; but if I ever hear that you attempt to intrude yourself into her presence, or to annoy her family, I will have you secured in the jail of Waterford in forty-eight hours afterwards, for other crimes that render you liable to the law.”

“And pray who are you?” asked Woodward, with a blank and crestfallen countenance, but still with a strong feeling of enmity and bitterness—­a feeling which he could not repress.  “Who are you who presume to dictate to me upon my conduct and course of life?”