'tis yourself!"

Austin could bear up no longer, he fell down on the floor as if he had
been shot. O'Donahue and McShane went to his assistance; they raised
him up, but he was insensible; they then rang the bell for assistance,
the servant came in, medical advice was sent for, and McShane and
O'Donahue, perceiving there was no chance of prosecuting their
intentions, in Mr Austin's present state, quitted the Hall just as the
chaise with Mrs Austin and Mary drove up to the door.

CHAPTER FIFTY.

IN WHICH IT IS TO BE HOPED THAT THE STORY WINDS UP TO THE SATISFACTION
OF THE READER.

It was not for some time after the arrival of the medical men that Mr
Austin could be recovered from his state of insensibility, and when he
was at last restored to life, it was not to reason. He raved wildly,
and it was pronounced that his attack was a brain fever. As, in his
incoherent exclamations, the name of Byres was frequently repeated, as
soon as the medical assistants had withdrawn, Mrs Austin desired all
the servants, with the exception of Mary, to quit the room; they did so
with reluctance, for their curiosity was excited, and there was
shrugging of the shoulders, and whispering, and surmising, and repeating
of the words which had escaped from their unconscious master's lips, and
hints that all was not right passed from one to another in the servants'
hall. In the mean time, Mrs Austin and Mary remained with him; and
well it was that the servants had been sent away, if they were not to
know what had taken place so long ago, for now Austin played the whole
scene over again, denounced himself as a murderer, spoke of his son, and
of his remorse, and then he would imagine himself in conflict with
Byres--he clenched his fists--and he laughed and chuckled and then would
change again to bitter lamentations for the deed which he had done.

"Oh, Mary, how is this to end?" exclaimed Mrs Austin, after one of the
paroxysms had subsided.

"As guilt always must end, madam," replied Mary, bursting into tears and
clasping her hands,--"in misery."

"My dear Mary, do not distress yourself in that manner; you are no
longer guilty."

"Nor is my master then, madam; for I am sure that he has repented."

"Yes, indeed, he has repented most sincerely; one hasty deed has
embittered his whole life--he never has been happy since, and never will
be until he is in heaven."

"Oh, what a happy relief it would be to him!" replied Mary, musing. "I