“‘Whist, Micky,’ said Jack, ’you’re frightening me:  I’ll not go—­will that satisfy you?’

“‘Well, dhrop down on your two knees, there,’ said Micky, ’and swear before the God that has his eye upon you this minute, that you’ll have no hand in injuring him or his, while you live.  If you don’t do this, I’ll not rest in my grave and maybe I’ll be a corpse before mornin.’

“’Well Micky, said Jack, who though wild and unthinking, was a lad whose heart and affections were good, ’it would be hard for me to refuse you that much, and you! not likely to be long wid me—­I will;’ and he accordingly knelt down and swore solemnly, in words which his brother dictated to him, that he would not be concerned in the intended murder.

“‘Now, give me your hand, Jack,’ said the invalid; ’God bless you—­and so He will.  Jack, if I depart before I see you again, I’ll die happy.  That man has supported me and my mother for near the last three months, bad as you all think him.  Why, Jack, we would both be dead of hunger long ago, only for his family; and, my God! to think, of such a murdhering intention makes my blood run cowld’—­

“‘You had better give him a hint, then,’ said Jack, ’some way, or he’ll be done for, as sure as you’re stretched on that bed; but don’t mintion names, if you wish to keep me from being murdhered for what I did.  I must be off now, for I stole out of the barn:* and only that Atty Laghy’s gone along wid the master to the ——­ fair, to help him to sell the two coults, I couldn’t get over at all.’

     * Laboring servants in Ireland usually sleep in barns.

“’Well, go home, Jack, and God bless you, and so He will, for what you did this night.’

“Jack accordingly departed, after bidding his mother and brother farewell.

“When the old woman came in, she asked her son if there was anything wrong with his brother, but he replied that there was not.

“‘Nothing at all,’ said he—­’but will you get up airly in the morning, plase God, and tell Vesey Johnston that I want to see him; and—­that—­I have a great dale to say to him?’

“’ To be sure I will, Micky; but, Lord guard us, what ails you, avourneen, you look so frightened?’

“’Nothing at all, at all, mother; but will you go where I say airly to-morrow, for me?’

“‘It’s the first thing I’ll do, God willin’,’ replied the mother.  And the next morning Vesey was down with the invalid very early, for the old woman kept her word and paid him a timely visit.

“‘Well, Micky, my boy,’ said Vengeance, as he entered the hut, ’I hope you’re no worse this morning.’

“‘Not worse, sir,’ replied Mick; ’nor, indeed, am I anything better either, but much the same way.  Sure it’s I that knows very well that my time here is but short.’

“‘Well, Mick, my boy,’ said Vengeance, ’I hope you’re prepared for death—­and that you expect forgiveness, like a Christian.  Look up, my boy, to God at once, and pitch the priests and their craft to ould Nick, where they’ll all go at the long-run.’