illated
with a fire that proceeded as much from an inclination to revenge as
affection. Julia Purcel, however, though a women, possessed no whit of
her sex's cowardice; on the contrary, her bosom heaved with indignant
scorn, and her eye gave him back glance for glance, in a spirit that
disdained to quail before his violence.

"Do you dare to threaten me or my family, sir?" she replied; "I think
you should know us better than to imagine that the threats of a ruffian,
for such I now perceive you to be, could for a moment intimidate either
them or me. Begone, sir, I despise and detest you--until this moment,
I looked upon and treated you as a fool, but I now find you are a
villain--begone, I say; I scorn and defy you."

"You defy me, do you?"

"Yes, I have said it, I defy you."

"Well, then, so be it," he replied, "you must take the consequences,
that's all, and let your favorite, M'Carthy, look to himself too."

Having uttered these significant words, ha reentered the double ditch,
along which a common pathway went, and in a minute or two was out of
sight.

Mary, on her return, at once perceived, by the flushed cheek and kindled
eye of her sister, that something had discomposed her. "Why, goodness
me, dear Julia, you look disturbed or frightened; what is the matter?"

"Disturbed I am," she replied, "but not at all frightened. This worthy
lover of mine, whom nothing can abash, has honored me with another
interview."

"Is it after the scene between him and my brother to-day?"

"Certainly," she replied, with a smile, for she now began once more to
look upon the matter in a ludicrous point of view, "and has threatened
not only myself, but the whole family with destruction, unless I favor
his addresses--ha! ha! ha! He has one good quality in a lover, at all
events--perseverance."

"Say rather effrontery and impudence," replied Mary.

"Yes, I admit that," said her sister; "but at any rate, they very often
go together, I believe."

She then related the dialogue that took place, at which her sister, who
was equally remarkable for courage, only laughed.

"The fellow after all is only a fool," she observed. "If he were
anything else, or if he had any serious intention of carrying such
threats into effect, he most assuredly would not give expression to
them, or put you on your guard against them. No, he is only a fool and
not worth thinking about: let him go."

They then proceeded to the cabin of poor Widow Cleary,