loved you?"

"Yes you did, Hugh," replied Felix, "an' I still knew you did. I didn't
often contradict you, because I knew, too, that the passion would soon
go off of you, and that you'd be kind to me again."

"Yeah, yeelish," said the other, while the scalding tears flowed
profusely down his cheeks, and the deep sobs almost choked him. "Oh,
yeah, yeelish! what could come over me! As judgment's before me, he was
the best brother ever God created--you were, Felix darling--you were,
you were!" He again pressed him to his heart, and kissed his lips with
an overwhelming fulness of remorse and love.

"An' another thing, Felix dear--but first tell me are you gettin'
betther?"

"I am," replied the youth, "my head is a little confused, but I have no
pain."

Hugh raised his hands and streaming eyes to heaven.

"Thanks, thanks, oh thanks an' praise be to God for that news! thanks
an' praise be to you, blessed Father, for what he has said this minute,
for it takes the weight, the dead crushin' weight that lay on my heart,
off it. And now, Felix jewel, here, alanna, lay over your head upon my
breast, an' I'll hould you anything I whisper into your own ear what 'll
make you as stout as ever--keep away all of yees--the nerra one o' ye
'll hear it but himself. Sure, Felix dear," he continued, in a lower
voice, "sure I'm willin' that you should marry your own Alley Bawn. An'
listen, sure, I'll give her a portion myself--I'm able to do it an' I
will too."

Felix, on hearing her name, looked around and endeavored, as appeared by
his manner, to collect himself. He put his hand to his head for a moment
and his eyes were without meaning. Hugh observed it, and felt his grief
instantly checked by a fearful surmise as to a possible consequence of
the blow which he had not contemplated.

"Felix dear," said he in a voice low, hollow, and full of terror, "what
ails you? Is the pain coming back?"

Felix spoke not for about a minute, during which time he had become
quite collected. Then with an affectionate look towards his brother, he
replied--

"God bless you, Hugh, for the words you have said to me! Poor Alley?
Hugh, God bless you! Would Maura consent? Will you consent, agra, to it,
Maura dear?"

Maura, who had been all this time weeping, now advanced, and, smiling
through her tears, embraced him tenderly. "Yes, Felix, darling, an' I'm
only heart-broken, that ever Hugh or myself refused to consent, or ever
set ourselves against it.