t he asks after your health with
more anxiety than he thinks of his own prospects. Now you are better,
Feemy, won't you send him some message by me?--some kind word, which
may comfort him in his sorrow?"

Feemy was no hypocrite; hypocrisy, though she did not know it
herself, was distasteful to her. She had no kind feelings for her
brother, and she did not know how to make the pretence which might
produce kind words; so she remained silent.

"What! not a word, Feemy? you who spoke so well, so properly, so
affectionately, but now of that good friend of yours--have you not a
word of kindness for a most affectionate brother?"

Feemy still remained silent.

"Why, Feemy, what is this? Don't you love your own brother?"

She said nothing in reply for a moment or two; and then, bursting
into tears, she exclaimed,

"Don't scold me, Father John!--don't scold me now, or I shall die!
I try to forgive him--I am always trying! But why did he--why did
he--why did he--" She was unable to finish her sentence from the
violence of her sobs and the difficulty of uttering the words which
should have concluded it. She meant to say, "Why did he kill my
lover?"

"Don't agitate yourself, Feemy. I don't mean to scold you; I don't
mean even to vex you more than I can possibly help; but I must speak
to you about your brother. I see the feeling that is in your mind,
and I will not blame you for it, for I believe it is natural; but
I beseech you to pray that your heart may be softened towards your
brother, who instead of repugnance, deserves from you the warmest
affection. But though I will not attempt to control your feelings,
I must tell you that you will be most wicked if you allow them
to interfere with the performance of your duties. You know your
brother's trial is coming on, do you not?"

"Yes."

"Wednesday fortnight next is the day fixed, I believe. You know you
will have to be a witness?"

"I believe so, Father John."

"Certainly you will; and I wish you now to listen to me, that you may
know what it is that you will then have to do. In the first place you
will be asked, I presume, by one gentleman whether you were willingly
eloping with Captain Ussher?" Feemy shuddered as the name was
pronounced. "And of course you must answer that truly--that you
were doing so. Then another gentleman will ask you whether you were
absolutely walking off with him when the blow was struck which killed
Captain Ussher; and, Feemy, you must also