thered imprecations.

A sense of coming evil

urged me in the direction of the sounds.

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Come, it will be over in a minute: damn you, turn your head away! Yes, or no? I have no time to wait."

An instant, and I was on the spot. The young master, pale, dishevelled, yet unfaltering in voice and mien, confronted a fellow, who with levelled blunderbuss was apparently in the act of blowing out his brains.

"What have I done?" vainly adjured the

youth; "down, Cæsar, down."

Then his

thoughts reverting homewards, he exclaimed,

66

My mother! O my mother!"

"You never harmed me," hoarsely bawled the murderer; "but your father will not renew the lease. I cannot reach him, at least just now, but I have you; and if you do not turn your face this blessed minute, by the Holy"

"Hold, villain-devil!".

I shouted at the

utmost pitch of my voice; "you harm him not;

no

—not one hair of his precious head!" and I clasped him in my arms.

"How now, Michael, boy," exclaimed a second ruffian; "you here! Our trade is vengeance-is blood; yours, prayers and paternosters: away!"

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No, by the Lord of heaven I do not stir! Lift but so much as a finger against him, and the sun does not go down ere I hound the dogs of justice on you, and the law has you in its iron fangs."

"Damnation iterated the first speaker, "let us do for them both."

“Touch him, touch me, at your peril; there are those who will track your bloody footsteps home, when all the powers of hell shall not save you from destruction!

I spoke in utter fearlessness, and they quailed in their souls they might have taken my life, indeed; but they had known me from infancy,

and were perhaps unwilling to injure "little Michael." Once they wavered, victory, I knew,

was ours.

"Come away," said the man who stood aside; "let him alone for this once; and Michael, do you hear, do not cross us again!"

"I will cross you," I exclaimed, “ as long as the Almighty gives me power."

The man with the blunderbuss muttered, and again levelled his piece; but the other threw up his arm, and dragged him away. I at once proceeded to undo the collar of the young master, who, overcome by conflicting emotions, was clinging to a tree.

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66

I

" for such it seems is your name, Michael," am Cornelius; from this day let us be friends." We soon reached the great house. Silken tissues hung from the walls, costly carpets decked the floors. A lady of noble bearing A mother's searching eye was

received her son.

not to be deceived, and eager multiplied inquiries elicited the truth: Cornelius told it all.

"And there,” said he, "stands my deliverer." For a moment she was pale and motionless; then followed caresses, wild and numberless, lavished on her child! A repast was laid: I partook of dainty wines and sumptuous fare.

The proprietor entered; his acknowledgments were brief: "Cornelia, you should not suffer this boy to wander so; see what has come of it."

"Permit me, sir," I exclaimed; "I shall answer for his safety with my own."

I was in a position to yield assurance: they took me at my word. I went and came at pleasure. Cornelius called, or, when my studies were completed, I waited on him. He was indeed a youth of rare intelligence ; pity there had been any barrier to the recognition of his ample worth. As for the would-be murderers, as top

often happens, they were no where to be found.

THE NIGHT-ATTACK.

"It will surprise you, Michael, when I tell that you are the first, and only Catholic I ever knew. My tutor, our visiters even, nay, our very servants, are of the one exclusive creed; with you, Michael, I have entire unreserve: how comes it, then, professing a common faith, that there should be so complete a severance?"

So far as I knew I enumerated the political disabilities and social oppressions under which we had laboured; the cruel reiterated confiscations, involving all, or nearly all, the property of the land; with the enmity naturally and inevi tably accruing, on the part of the oppressed towards the oppressor-of the oppressor towards the oppressed.

"Should I ever come to have influence, Michael, I shall remedy all that. You will advise and assist me; and the homes of at