he tears showered down his cheeks, "there lies the
child that never vexed a parent's heart or ruffled one of our tempers.
May the blessin', if it is a blessin', or can be a blessin'--"

"It is, it is," said Sarah, with a quick, short sob; "it is a blessin',
an' a holy blessin'; but bless him--bless him, too!"

"May my blessin' rest upon you, or rather may the blessin' of Almighty
God, rest upon you, daughter of my heart! And you too," he proceeded,
turning to the other bed; "here is him that among them all I loved the
best; my youngest, an' called afther myself--may my blessin' an' the
blessin' of God and my Saviour rest upon you, my darlin' son; an' if
I never see either of you in this unhappy world, grant, oh, merciful
Father, that we may meet in the glory of Heaven, when that stain will be
taken away from me for that crime that I have repented for so long an'
so bittherly?"

Sarah, while he spoke, had let go his arm, and placing her two hands
over her eyes, her whole breast quivered; and the men, on looking at
her, saw the tears gushing out in torrents from between her finger. She
turned round, however, for a few moments, as if to compose herself;
and, when she again approached the old man, there was a smile--a smile,
brilliant, but agitated, in her eyes and upon her lips.

"There now," she proceeded; "you have said all you can say; come, go
with them. Ah," she exclaimed with a start of pain, "all we've done
or tried to do is lost, I doubt. Here's his wife and daughter. Come out
now," said she addressing him, "say a word or two to them outside."

Just as she spoke, Mrs. Dalton and the poor invalid, Mary, entered the
house: the one with some scanty supply of food, and the other bearing a
live coal between two turf, one under and the other over it.

"Wait," said Sarah, "I'll speak to them before they come in." And, ere
the words were uttered, she met them.

"Come here, Mrs. Dalton," said she; "stop a minute, speak to this poor
girl, and support her. These sogers, and the constables inside, is come
about Sullivan's business, long ago."

"I know it," replied Mrs. Dalton; "I've just heard all about it, there
beyond; but she," pointing to her daughter, "has only crossed the ditch
from the commons, and joined me this minute."

"Give me these," said Sarah to the girl, "and stay here till I come out
again, wet as it is. Your mother will tell you why."

She took the fire from her as she spoke, and, running in, laid i