“Alick,” she proceeded, turning to her second brother, “surely won’t refuse to kiss and embrace his only sister, before she withdraws for the day.”

“I cannot kiss you, my pure sister; I can never kiss you more.  We have sworn, and it must be done.”

“I thought I had brothers,” said she, “but I find I am now brotherless—­yet perhaps not altogether so.  I had once a young, generous, innocent, and very affectionate playfellow.  It was known that I loved him—­that we all loved him best.  Will he desert his loving sister, now that the world has done so? or will he allow her to kiss, him, and to pray that the darkness of guilt may never overshadow his young and generous spirit.  Bryan,” she added, “I am Mary, your sister, whom you loved—­and surely you are my own dearest brother.”

Whilst she uttered the words, the tears:  which flowed from her eyes fell upon his face.  He looked at her pale features, so full of love and tenderness—­the muscles of his face worked strongly; but at length, with a loud cry, he threw himself over, caught her in his arms, and laying her head upon his bosom, wept aloud.  The evil spell was now broken.  Neither John nor Alick could resist the contagion of tenderness which their beloved sister shed into their hearts.  Their tears flowed fast—­their caresses were added to those of Brian; and as they penitently embraced her, they retracted their awful oath, and promised never again to think of violence, revenge, or bloodshed.

Thus did the force and purity of domestic affection charm back into their hearts the very spirit which its own excess had before driven out of it;—­and thus it is that many a triumph over crime is won by the tenderness and strength of that affection, when neither reason, nor religion, nor any other principle that we are acquainted with, can succeed in leading captive the fearful purposes of resentment and revenge.

“Now,” said Father Eoche, “we have still a, duty to perform, and that is, to return thanks to Almighty God for the dark and deadly crime, and the woeful sorrow, which, by his grace and mercy, he has averted from this family; and I think we may take this blessing—­for such surely it is—­as an earnest hope that the same Divine hand, which has put aside this impending calamity from us, may, and will, in his own good time, remove the other afflictions which the enmity and wickedness of evil hearts, and evil councils have brought upon us; but especially let us kneel and return thanks for the great and happy change which, through the humility and affection of one of us, has been wrought upon the rest.”

He then knelt down, and on this occasion the iron sinews of these young men became soft, and were bent in remorse, sorrow, repentance.  The pious priest prayed fervently and humbly, and as his tears fell fast, in the trusting sincerity of his heart and the meek earnestness of his spirit, it is almost unnecessary to say, that those of his little flock accompanied him.  The brothers wept bitterly, for the rocky heart of each had been touched, and religion completed the triumph which affection had begun.