n of the child, mechanically had
released their prisoner; and he, starting up with the sudden hope of
freedom, stood confronting the stranger, who yet held his child.

"Gracious Providence!" he exclaimed in wonder, as the moonlight streamed
on the face he was trying to recognize--"Is id--can id be Robert
Dillon?"

"Yis, Whelan!" was the answer, "it is the man you name--the man you
caused to be thried an' banished, an' the man who came here to have
revange!"

"Oh. don't hurt him--don't hurt him--he is _my_ father," cried the
little Minny who now also seemed to recognize him.

"Iv he was surrounded wid fiends," answered Dillon, kissing her fair
smooth brow, "iv he was for ever on the watch, I'd still have my
revenge: bud for your sake, sweet, good-natured child--for your sake,
I'll not allow him to be touched!"

A murmur here began to rise among some of the men, while the leader,
with one or two others, seemed to take part with the returned son of
Nanny Dillon. Upon this he added--

"I was weary an' wake wid fatigue an' hunger--I couldn't move a step
further than jist to lave the road an' lie in a dhry ditch, as I
thought, to die, jist as I complated the journey to my native place! But
this little girl--this goolden-haired child--kem to me, an' raised my
head, an' poured a sweet draught of milk into my mouth, an' brought me
food, an' sat by me, an' talked wid me, till I was at last able to join
wid you! An' afther this--afther this, would you have me harm any one
belongin' to her--even though he is my bitterest inimy?"

The quick changing of purpose--the sudden transitions of the Irish
nature--are proverbial; and then those who had been loudest in their
murmurs were loudest in their cries of approval; and a deep huzza of
exultation at the magnanimity he displayed, told Dillon that he had
little to fear from their opposition. So once more embracing the little
girl, he gave her hand to her father, and taking the leader's arm,
strode away, exclaiming:

"Whelan, you may thank your child--for 'tis she ha's saved you!"

The party all followed after him; and in a few moments more there was
no trace of the scene of violence that had been partly enacted, and the
brook's low bubblings, as before, alone disturbed the silence of the
slumbering night.

We will not attempt to describe poor Nanny's joy at her son's making
himself known, and informing her of the circumstances that had taken
place--enough to say, he had manag