r?"

"I believe him villain enough to do it," returned the other; "but still
I don't think he did. He was at home to my own knowledge the night
she disappeared, and could know nothing of what became of her. I think
that's a sure case."

"Well," said Shawn, "it may be so; but in the manetime his stolen
visits to the ould herb docthor are not for nothing. I end, then, as I
began--keep your eye on him; watch him closely--and now, good night."

These hints were not thrown away upon Barney, who was naturally of an
observant turn; and accordingly he kept a stricter eye than ever upon
the motions of Harry Woodward. This accomplished gentleman, like every
villain of his class, was crafty and secret in everything he did and
said; that is to say, his object was always to lead those with whom
he held intercourse, to draw the wrong inference from his words and
actions. Even his mother, as the reader will learn, was not in his
full confidence. Such men, however, are so completely absorbed in the
management of their own plans, that the latent principle or motive
occasionally becomes apparent, without any consciousness of its
exhibition on their part. Barney soon had an opportunity of suspecting
this. His brother Charles, after what appeared to be a satisfactory
convalescence, began to relapse, and a fresh fever to set in. The first
person to communicate the melancholy intelligence to Woodward happened
to be Barney himself, who, on meeting him early in the morning, said,--

"I am sorry, Mr. Woodward, to tell you that Masther Charles is a great
deal worse; he spent a bad night, and it seems has got very feverish."

A gleam of satisfaction--short and transient, but which, however, was
too significant to be misunderstood by such a sagacious observer as
Barney--flashed across his countenance--but only for a moment. He
recomposed his features, and assuming a look expressive of the deepest
sorrow, said,--

"Good heavens, Casey, do you tell me that my poor brother is worse, and
we all in such excellent spirits at what we considered his certain but
gradual recovery?"

"He is much worse, sir; and the masther this morning has strong doubts
of his recovery. He's in great affliction about him, and so are they
all. His loss would be felt in the neighborhood, for, indeed, it's he
that was well beloved by all who knew him."

"He certainly was a most amiable and affectionate young fellow," said
Woodward, "and, for my part, if he goes from us