f we allow for a slight
exaggeration occasioned by his terrors, and the impressions of
supernatural manifestations which they left upon his imagination.

The pedlar heard all the circumstances with an astonishment which
changed his whole bearing into that of deep awe and the most breathless
attention. The previous eccentricity of his manner by degrees abandoned
him; and as Hanlon proceeded, he frequently looked at him in a state of
abstraction, then raised his eyes towards heaven, uttering, from time
to time, "Merciful Father!"--"Heaven preserve us!" and such like, thus
accompanying him by a running comment of exclamations as he went along.

"Well," said he, when Hanlon had concluded, "surely the hand of God is
in this business; you may take that for granted."

"I would fain hope as much," replied Hanlon; "but as the matthers
stand now, we're nearly as far from it as ever. Instead of gettin' any
knowledge of the murdherer we want to discover, it proves to be the
murdher of Sullivan that has been found out."

"Of Sullivan!" he exclaimed; "well, to be sure--oh, ay--well, sure that
same is something; but, in the mane time, will you let me look at this
Box you spoke of? I feel a curiosity to see it."

Hanlon rose and taking the Box from a small deal chest which was
strongly locked, placed it in the pedlar's hands. After examining it
closely for about half a minute, they could observe that he got very
pale, and his hands began to tremble, as he held and turned it about in
a manner that was very remarkable.

"Do you say," he asked, in an agitated voice, "that you have no manes of
tracin' the murdher?"

"None more than what we've tould you."

"Did this Box belong to the murdhered man?--I mane, do you think he had
it about him at the time of his death?"

"Ay, an' for some time before it," replied the woman. "It's all
belongin' to him that we can find now."

"And you got it in the keeping of this M'Gowan, the Black Prophet, you
say?"

"We did," replied the woman, "from his daughter, at all events."

"Who is this Black Prophet?" he asked; "or what is he? for that comes
nearer the mark. Where did he come from, where does he live, an' what
way does he earn his bread?"

"The boy here," she replied, pointing to Hanlon, "can tell you that
betther than I can; for although I've been at his place three or four
times, I never laid eyes on him yet."

"Well," continued the pedlar, "you have both a right to be thankful that