hands of the other, an air of savage pleasure blazed in his eyes, on
reflecting that the tempest of the night was favorable to the execution
of the villanous deed on which they were bent.

"More power to you!" said Anthony, impiously personifying the storm;
"sure that's one proof that God doesn't throuble his head about what
we do, or we would not get such a murdherin' fine night as is in it
any how. That's it! blow and tundher away, an' keep yourself an' us, as
black as hell, sooner than we should fail in what we intend! Anne, your
health, acushla!--Yours, Dinny! If you keep your tongue off o' me, I'll
neither make nor meddle in regard o' the batin' o' you."

"I hope you'll stick to that, any how," replied Denis; "for my part I'm
sick and sore o' you every day in the year. Many another man would
put salt wather between himself and yourself, sooner nor become a
battin'-stone for you, as I have been. Few would bear it, when they
could mend themselves."

"What's that you say?" replied Anthony, suddenly laying down his glass,
catching his brother by the collar, and looking him with a murderous
scowl in the face. "Is it thrachery you hint at?--eh? Sarpent, is it
thrachery you mane?" and as he spoke, he compressed Denis's neck between
his powerful hands, until the other was black in the face.

Anne flew to her uncle's assistance, and with much difficulty succeeded
in rescuing him from the deadly gripe of her father, who exclaimed, as
he loosed his hold, "You may thank the girl, or you'd not spake,
nor dare to spake, about crossin' the salt wather, or lavin' me in a
desateful way agin. If I ever suspect that a thought of thrachery comes
into your heart, I'll do for you; and you may carry your story to the
world I'll send you to."

"Father, dear, why are you so suspicious of my uncle?" said Anne; "sure
he's a long time livin' with you, an' goin' step for step in all the
danger you meet with. If he had a mind to turn out a Judas agin you, he
might a done it long agone; not to mintion the throuble it would bring
on his own head seein' he's as deep in everything as you are."

"If that's all that's throubling you," replied Denis, trembling, "you
may make yourself asy on the head of it; but well I know 'tisn't that
that's on your mind; 'tis your own conscience; but sure it's not fair
nor rasonable for you to vent your evil thoughts on me!"

"Well, he won't," said Anne, "he'll quit it; his mind's throubled; an',
dear knows, i