t cry, dear,
we'll have him here again with no disateful villain to swear away his
life."

"I could die now," said the noble--minded girl; "I think I could die
now, without even seeing him. His name is cleared, and will be cleared;
his character untainted; and that is dearer to me even than his love.
Oh, I knew it! I knew it!" she fervently exclaimed; "and when all the
world was against him, I was for him; I and his own mother--for we were
the two that knew his heart best."

"Well," said John, smiling, "if I brought you gloomy news once, I
believe I have brought you pleasant news twice. You remember when I told
you he was not to die."

"Indeed, John, dear, you are the best brother that ever God blessed a
sister with; but I hope this is not a dream. Oh, can it be possible!
and when I awake in the morning, will it be to the sorrowful heart I had
yesterday? I am bewildered. After this, who should ever despair of the
goodness of God, or think that the trial he sends but for a time is to
last always?"

"Bridget," said the gracious Bodagh, "we must have a glass of punch; an'
upon my reputaytion, Oona, we'll drink to his speedy return."

"Throth, an' Oona will take a glass, herself, this night," added her
mother; "an' thanks be to Goodness she'll be our colleen dhas dhun
again--won't you have a glass, asthore machree?"

"I'll do anything that any of you wishes me, mother," replied Una.

She gave, as she uttered the words, a slight sob, which turned their
attention once more to her, but they saw at once, by the brilliant
sparkle of her eyes, that it was occasioned by the unexpected influx of
delight and happiness which was accumulating around her heart.

"Mother," she said, "will you make the punch for them to--night?
I cannot rest till I let poor Biddy Kulty know what has happened.
Cleared!" she added, exultingly, "his name and character cleared!"

The beautiful girl then left the room, and, short as was the space which
had elapsed since she heard her brother's communication, they could not
help being struck at the light elastic step with which she tripped out
of it. Brief, however, as the period was, she had time to cast aside the
burthen of care which had pressed her down and changed her easy pace to
the slow tread of sorrow.

"God help our poor colleen dhas," exclaimed her mother, "but she's the
happy creature, this night!"

"And happy will the hearth be where her light will shine," replied her
father, quoting