l me at once."

"Who do you think burned our property?"

"And I suppose if she hadn't been undher the one roof wid us that it's
ourselves he'd burn," observed her mother.

"Father, tell me the worst at once--whatever it may be;--how could I
guess the villain or villains who destroyed our property?"

"Villain, indeed! you may well say so," returned the Bodagh. "That
villain is no other than Connor O'Donovan!"

Una felt as if a weighty burden had been removed from her heart; she
breathed freely; her depression and alarm vanished, and her dark eye
kindled into proud confidence in the integrity of her lover.

"And, father," she asked, in a full and firm voice, "is there nothing
worse than that to come?"

"Worse! is the girl's brain turned?"

"_Dhar a Lhora Heena_, she's as mad I believe as ould Fardorougha
himself," said the mother; "worse! why, she has parted wid all the
reasing she ever had."

"Indeed, mother, I hope I have not, and that my reason's as clear as
ever; but, as to Connor O'Donovan, he's innocent of that charge, and of
every other that may be brought against him; I don't believe it, and I
never will."

"It's proved against him; it's brought, home to him."

"Who's his accuser?"

"His father's servant, Bartle Flanagan, has turned king's evidence."

"The deep-dyed villain!" she exclaimed, with indignation; "father, of
that crime, so sure as God's in heaven, so sure is Connor O'Donovan
innocent, and so sure is Bartle Flanagan guilty--I know it."

"You know it--explain yourself."

"I mean I feel it--ay, home to the core of my heart--my unhappy heart--I
feel the truth of what I say."

"Una," observed her brother, "I'm afraid you have been vilely deceived
by him--there's not the slightest doubt of his guilt."

"Don't you be deceived, John; I say he's innocent--as I hope for heaven
he's innocent; and, father, I'm not a bit cast down or disheartened by
anything I have yet heard against him."

"You're a very extraordinary girl, Una; but for my part I'm glad you
look upon it as you do. If his innocence appears, no man alive will be
better plazed at it than myself."

"His innocence will appear," exclaimed the faithful girl; "it must
appear; and,--father, mark this--I say the time will tell yet who is
innocent and who is guilty. God knows," she added, her energy of manner
increasing, while a shower of hot tears fell down her cheeks, "God knows
I would marry him to-morrow with the disgrace of that a