he edge of the table, and bowing down under the
eye of God and man, took the awful oath on the mysterious Douagh, in a
falsehood! When it was finished, a feeble groan broke from his brother's
lips. Anthony bent his eye on him with a deadly glare; but Denis saw it
not. The shock was beyond his courage,--he had become insensible.

Those who stood at the outskirts of the crowd, seeing Denis apparently
lifeless, thought he must have sworn falsely on the Donagh, and
exclaimed, "He's dead! gracious God! Denis Meehan's struck dead by the
Donagh! He swore in a lie, and is now a corpse!" Anthony paused, and
calmly surveyed him as he lay with his head resting upon the hands of
those who supported him. At this moment a silent breeze came over where
they stood; and, as the Donagh lay upon the table, the black ribbons
with which it was ornamented fluttered with a melancholy appearance,
that deepened the sensations of the people into something peculiarly
solemn and preternatural. Denis at length revived, and stared wildly
and vacantly about him. When composed sufficiently to distinguish and
recognize individual objects, he looked upon the gloomy visage and
threatening eye of his brother, and shrunk back with a terror almost
epileptical. "Oh!" he exclaimed, "save me! save me from that man, and
I'll discover all!"

Anthony calmly folded one arm into his bosom, and his lip, quivered with
the united influence of hatred and despair.

"Hould him," shrieked a voice, which proceeded from his daughter, "hould
my father or he'll murdher him! Oh! oh! merciful Heaven!"

Ere the words were uttered she had made an attempt to clasp the arms of
her parent, whose motions she understood; but only in time to receive
from the pistol which he had concealed in his breast, the bullet aimed
at her uncle! She tottered! and the blood spouted out of her neck upon
her father's brows, who hastily put up his hand and wiped it away, for
it had actually blinded him.

The elder Meehan was a tall man, and as he stood, elevated nearly a head
above the crowd, his grim brows red with his daughter's blood--which,
in attempting to wipe away, he had deeply streaked across his face--his
eyes shooting fiery gleams of his late resentment, mingled with the
wildness of unexpected horror--as he thus stood, it would be impossible
to contemplate a more revolting picture of that state to which the
principles that had regulated his life must ultimately lead, even in
this world.