thy man, accompanied by his wife, entered as
the pilgrim had concluded. The woman, in accordance with the custom of
the country, raised the Irish cry, in a loud melancholy wail, that might
be heard at a great distance.

Darby, who prided himself on maintaining silence, could not preserve the
consistency of his character upon this occasion, any more than on that
of Mike's recent symptoms of life.

"Your sowl to the divil, you faggot!" he exclaimed, "what do you mane?
The divil whip the tongue out o' you! are you going to come here only
to disturb the boy that's not dead yet? Get out o' this, an' be asy wid
your skhreechin', or by the crass that died for us, only you're a woman,
I'd tumble you wid a lick o' my cant. Keep asy, you vagrant, an' the
dacent boy not dead yet. Hell bellows you, what do you mane?"

"Not dead!" exclaimed the woman, with her body bent in the proper
attitude, her hands extended, and the crying face turned with amazement
to Darby. "Not dead! Wurrah, man alive, isn't he murdhered?"

"Hell resave the matther for that!" replied Darby. "I tell you he's
livin' an' will live I hope, barrin' your skirlin' dhrives the life
that's in him out of him. Go into the room there to the women, an'
make yourself scarce out o' this, or by the padareens about me, I'll
malivogue you."

"We can't be angry wid the dacent woman," observed old Reillaghan, "in
regard that she came to show her friendship and respect."

"I'd be angry wid St. Pettier," said Darby, "an' 'ud not scruple to give
him a lick o' my c---- Lord presarve us! what was I goin' o say! Why,
throth, I believe the little wits I had are all gone a shaughran! I
must fast a Friday or two for the same words agin St. Pether. Oxis Doxis
Glorioxis--Amin."

Hope is strong in love and in life. Peggy, now that grief had eased her
heart of its load of accumulated sorrow, began to reflect upon Darby's
anecdote of Captain Cramer, which she related to those about her. They
all rejoiced to hear that it was possible to be wounded so severely and
live. They also consoled and supported each other, and expressed their
trust that Mike might also recover. The opinion of the doctor was waited
for with such anxiety as a felon feels when the foreman of the jury
hands down the verdict which consigns him to life or death.

Whether Darby's prescription was the result of chance or sagacity we
know not. We are bound, however, to declare that Reillaghan's strength
was in some deg