l,
"hurry--M'Clutchy's blood-hounds."

The wife clapped her hands, shrieked, and falling on her knees,
exclaimed in a piercing voice, "merciful God, look down on us! Oh,
Father Roche, there is not a moment to be lost!"

The priest and Harman again exchanged a melancholy glance;--"you
must all retire into the little room," said the clergyman, "until I
administer to him the last rites."

They accordingly withdrew, the woman having first left a lit rush light
candle at his bed-side, as she knew the ceremony required.

The man's strength was wasting fast, and his voice sinking rapidly,
but on the other hand he was calm and rational, a circumstance which
relieved the priest's mind very much. As is usual, having put a stole
about his neck, he first heard his confession, earnestly exhorted him
to repentance, and soothed and comforted him with all those promises
and consolations which are held out to repentant sinners. He then
administered the Extreme Unction; which being over, the ceremony, and
a solemn one it must be considered, was concluded. On this occasion,
however, his death-bed consolations did not end here. There are in the
Roman Catholic Church prayers for the dying, many of them replete with
the fervor of Christian faith, and calculated to raise the soul to the
hopes of immortality. These the priest read in a slow manner, so as that
the dying man could easily accompany him, which he did with his hands
clasped, upon his breast, and his eyes closed, unless when he raised
them occasionally to heaven. He then exhorted him with an anxiety for
his salvation which transcended all earthly and temporal considerations,
prayed with him and for him, whilst the tears streamed in torrents down
his cheeks. Nor was the spirit of his holy mission lost; the penitent
man's face assumed a placid and serene expression; the light of immortal
hope beamed upon it; and raising his eyes and his feeble arms to heaven,
he uttered several ejaculations in a tone of voice too low to be heard.
At length he exclaimed aloud, "thanks to the Almighty that I did not
commit this murder as I intended! I found it done to my hand; but
I don't know who did it, as I am to meet my God!" The words were
pronounced with difficulty; indeed they were scarcely uttered, when his
arms fell lifelessly, as it were, by his side--they were again suddenly
drawn up, however, as if by a convulsive motion, and the priest saw
that the agonies of death were about to commenc