ith the solemnity of an oath.

Standing on the edge of the circle, in the innermost row, were Meehan
and his brother. The former eyed, with all the hardness of a stoic, the
successive individuals as they passed up to the table. His accomplices
had gone forward, and to the surprise of many who strongly suspected
them in the most indifferent manner "cleared" themselves in the trying
words of the oath, of all knowledge of, and participation in, the thefts
that had taken place.

The grim visage of the elder Meehan was marked by a dark smile, scarcely
perceptible; but his brother, whose nerves were not so firm, appeared
somewhat confused and distracted by the imperturbable villany of the
perjurers.

At length they were called up. Anthony advanced slowly but collectedly,
to the table, only turning his eye slightly about, to observe if his
brother accompanied him. "Denis," said he, "which of us will swear
first? you may;" for, as he doubted his brother's firmness, he was
prudent enough, should he fail, to guard against having the sin of
perjury to answer for, along with those demands which his country had to
make for his other crimes. Denis took the book, and cast a slight glance
at his brother as if for encouragement; their eyes met, and the darkened
brow of Anthony hinted at the danger of flinching in this crisis. The
tremor of his hand was not, perhaps, visible to any but Anthony, who,
however, did not overlook this circumstance. He held the book, but
raised not his eye to meet the looks of either the magistrate or the
priests; the color also left his face, as with shrinking lips he touched
the Word of God in deliberate falsehood. Having then laid it down,
Anthony received it with a firm grasp, and whilst his eye turned boldly
in contemptuous mockery upon those who presented it, he impressed it
with the kiss of a man whose depraved conscience seemed to goad him only
to evil. After "clearing" himself, he laid the Bible upon the table with
the affected air of a person who felt hurt at the imputation of theft,
and joined the rest with a frown upon his countenance, and a smothered
curse upon his lips.

Just at this moment, a person from Cassidy's house laid upon the table a
small box covered with black cloth; and our readers will be surprised
to hear, that if fire had come down visibly from heaven, greater awe
and fear could not have been struck into their hearts, or depicted upon
their countenances. The casual conversation