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'Go your ways home, man,' she said, authoritatively.

Oh! do not irritate him,' Nanny whispered.

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'Don't mind him, miss; don't be a bit afraid, ladies,' she whispered, it's an easy thing to get the upper hand of one that has a bad conscience.'

She went to the fire-place in the outer room, and while hanging a pan over it, she turned her honest countenance back to the man, who was now directly behind her, and continued. 'Go your way home, Brian, and don't come to look on them whose blood will be on your heart along with that that's there already. Go your way home, I say, where the curse of an innocent man will be about your hearth day and night, and every time you stand upon it.'

The man's words were so thick they were undistinguisable as he timidly shrunk from the house. 'There he goes, the perjured thief!' said Peggy, looking after him with an air of triumph.

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You seem to suspect that man,' I said, a suspicion at the same time crossing my own mind.

'There's no use speaking out, ma'am,' she replied, changing her tone to one of doubt; but people that know what's what will think for all that. A wretched man he is sleeping or waking, since he swore away that poor boy's life, and it's worse and worse he gets as the day of his death comes on. Myself believes that he haunts him already, for he never sleeps unless he drinks himself asleep.'

We returned thoughtfully to the glebe, and related what past to the rector, who sighed, and said it was a wicked world. Whatever might be his thoughts or suspicions he kept them to himself. He appeared more thoughtful than usual at breakfast next day,

looked distressed, and enquired for Kate, saying he had been thinking of her in the night.

'You did not sleep then, papa?' Nanny said, with a look of dissatisfaction.

'Not much, love; but, Nanny,' the good man added, to turn her attention from himself, I have some directions to leave with you, as I intend to spend the greater part of to-day with poor Tennisson. You must spare her to me for a little,' he said, looking at me.

"Oh! she can readily do that,' Nanny replied; ' although,' she contiued, smiling at me, 'I do not think you seem quite-quite-so'

'So what?' I enquired, returning her smile; SO good-for-nothing?'

'Oh no, not that, but so indifferent as you seemed when you first came to us.'

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Perhaps not,' I rejoined, thinking to myself, who in such companionship could retain such a characteristic.

I am not sure, Nanny,' said the rector, ' that our friend particularly requires a remedy for indifference; but when you meet any one that does, pray refer them to the first Epistle of St. John. Come to my study, love.'

Our poor rector! I pitied him that evening on his return. He had taken leave of John Tennisson, and we had reason to believe it had been an affecting one, but he would not speak of it.

'Poor Kate! he seems to think more of her than of himself!' he suddenly said, as he rose abruptly from the table where he had been sitting in silence, and walked to the window.

Nanny followed, and laid her hand on his arm with the words, 'Papa, you will be ill.'

، I cannot help it, my dear ;' and he drew his hand across his forehead. To all the decrees of an unerring Providence we ought to be fully acquiescent; but our thoughts and views are so bounded by the things of sense and the limits of time, we regard the state of this disordered world, and forget that it is God's prerogative to bring good out of evil; that He, unseen, is working all things after the counsel of his own will.'

، A time will come, papa, when the kingdoms of the earth shall become the kingdoms of our God.'

، Blessed time !' said her father, his face brightening as he looked up to the now darkly-clouded sky, where a heavy storm was gathering. Yes, He will take his great power and reign, and in his time the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.'

This remark led into a discussion between the rector and me, while Nanny, glad to have her father's mind engaged, was obliged to keep Mr. Hastings in good humour by talking to him herself.

While we were thus employed, the storm was increasing, and as the rain rattled against the closed window, the wind whistled in blasts round the blazing turf fire, which though autumn had not long commenced, both looked and felt agreeable. But though other conversation occupied us for some time, there is something so very melancholy in the moaning of a winter or a summer wind, that it always tends to awaken or recal to the mind thoughts and images consonant with its own character. Thus our minds after a while reverted to the painful subject that had before engrossed us-the condemned manthe miserable self-abandoned girl. A few more hours

would terminate the existence of the one; it were well, Mr. Hastings said, were it so with the other.

If existence terminated with the sorrows of time, the rector admitted it were so; but he believed that poor John Tennisson, though dying for a crime that shocked humanity, was better prepared to meet his end, and to appear before that Judge who is faithful and just.

But if he is guilty,' I said, 'how dreadful a hypocrite he must be.'

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'He is as innocent as I am,' the rector exclaimed, as if suddenly thrown off his guard: it was the first time he had spoken so decidedly. Would I could prove him so,' he added, throwing aside his chair, and pacing the floor with greater expression of agitation than he usually shewed; twice pressing his hand on his forehead, he murmured half aloud, 'Oh it is dreadful; how long shall the wicked triumph?'

We sat a few minutes in silent and distressing thought; then a rushing sound through the hall, as if the opening of the door had admitted the blast, drew our attention, and the rector stopping his walk, inquired if we had heard a knock, and before we could decisively answer, a little man, coated and booted, and dripping with rain, stepped into the room, and made a bow which brought his head very nearly in contact with his knees.

'My good friend, where have you come from?' the rector demanded, examining him from head to foot with pleased surprise.

'I am come from a long, long journey, the first I have had since I was made a priest,' was the reply, ' and as the wind and rain incommoded both Dodger and myself, I thought I would just pay your reve

rence a visit, and see if Miss Nanny Bawn could make me out a lodging for the night, and then, if the morning is fine, I can be off on my road to my own at Bog-hall with the first light.'

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For this night and as many more as you please, Mr. Irwin,' said Nanny, giving him her hand, ‘unless Bog-hall has more charms than the glebe.'

'Its name warrants it; the charm of a good fire, of which you stand in need, my friend,' said her father, raising up his own, ‘so take off your wet coat, and join us at this.'

While the little man withdrew to remove his wellsaturated coat, and exchange his bespattered boots for a pair of the rector's slippers, I inquired was he a priest, for his appearance exactly agreed with my idea of the character.

'A Protestant curate,' the rector replied,' and one of the most simple, sincere, extraordinary, excellent, and indefatigable creatures in existence. His unremitting exertions are devoted to the good of the desolate parish where he has lived and laboured, unknown and unnoticed, for more than twenty years. He lives in a house, little more than a cabin, belonging to a poor and aged widow, and by this means renders a condition comfortable, which would otherwise be deplorably destitute. This house, being situated on the side of a bleak, dreary bog, is known to us by the denomination of Bog-hall; but its tenant ranks in our estimation above many who dwell in ceiled houses, and lodge under cedar.'

When the curate came among us again, and had refreshed himself with some tea, he sat down in the vacant place opposite the fire, and putting a hand on each knee, raised his small but very expressive eyes

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