; his voice
faltered, and his lips trembled, as--, in a low tone of heartfelt and
profound sympathy, he exclaimed:

"Una, dear, you had better go to bed, and let my mother stay with you."
Calmly she heard him, and, rising, she slowly but deliberately left
the room, and proceeded up stairs with a degree of steadiness which
surprised her mother. The only words she uttered on hearing this
blighting communication, were, "Come with me, mother."

"Una, darling," said the latter when they had reached the bed-room, "why
don't you spake to me? Let me hear your voice, jewel; only let me hear
your voice."

Una stooped and affectionately kissed her, but made no reply for some
minutes. She then began to undress, which she did in fits and starts;
sometimes pausing, in evident abstraction, for a considerable time, and
again resuming the task of preparing for bed.

"Mother," she at length said, "my heart is as cold as ice; but my brain
is burning; feel my temples; how hot they are, and how they beat!"

"I do, alanna dheelish; your body, as well as your mind, is sick; but
we'll sind for the doctor, darlin', and you'll soon be betther, I hope."

"I hope so; and then Connor and I can be married in spite of them. Don't
they say, mother, that marriages are made in heaven?"

"They do, darlin'."

"Well, then, I will meet him there. Oh, my head--my head! I cannot
bear--bear this racking pain."

Her mother, who, though an uneducated woman, was by no means deficient
in sagacity, immediately perceived that her mind was beginning to
exhibit symptoms of being unsettled. Having, therefore, immediately
called one of the maid-servants, she gave her orders to stay with Una,
who had now gone to bed, until she herself could again return to her.
She instantly proceeded to the parlor, where her husband and son were,
and with a face pale from alarm, told them that she feared Una's mind
was going.

"May the Almighty forbid!" exclaimed her father, laying down his knife
and fork, for they had just sat down to dinner; "oh, what makes you say
such a thing, Bridget? What on earth makes you think it?"

"For Heaven's sake, mother, tell us at once," inquired the son, rising
from the table, and walking distractedly across the room.

"Why, she's beginning to rave about him," replied her mother; "she's
afther saying that she'll be married to him in spite o' them."

"In spite o' who, Bridget?" asked the Bodagh, wiping his eyes--"in spite
o' who does she