im
or, "who knows," he added, smiling, "but we might make them a little
easier?"

"That's a fine young fellow," said he to the sheriff, after they had
left him.

"He is a gentleman," replied the sherif "by nature a gentleman; and a
very uncommon one, too. I defy a man to doubt word that comes out of
his lips; all he says is impressed with the stamp of truth itself and
by h----n's he never committed the felony he's in for! Keep him as
comfortable as you can."

They then separated.

The love of life is the first and strong principle in our nature, and
what man is there except some unhappy wretch pressed down by long and
galling misery to the uttermost depths of despair, who, knows that life
was forfeited, whether justly or it matters little, to the laws of his
country will not feel the mercy which bids him live with a corresponding
sense of gratitude. The son of the pious mother acted, as if she was
still his guide and monitress.

He knelt down and poured out his gratitude to that great Being who had
the final claim upon it, and whose blessing he fervently invoked upon
the heads of those true friends by whose exertions and influence he
knew that life was restored to him.

Of his life while he remained in this country there is little more to
be said than what is usually known to occur in the case of of convicts
similarly circumstanced, if we exclude his separation from the few
persons who were dear to him. He saw his father the next day and the
old man felt almost disappointed discovering that he was deprived of
the pleasure which he proposed to himself of be the bearer of such glad
tidings to him. Those who visited him, however, noticed with a good deal
of surprise, that he appeared as laboring under some secret aim which,
however, no tact or address on their part could induce him to disclose.
Many of them, actuated by the best motives, asked him in distinct terms
why he appeared to be troubled; but the only reply they received was a
good-humored remark that it was not to be expected that he could leave
forever all that was dear to him on earth with a very cheerful spirit.

It was at this period that his old friend Nogher M'Cormick came to pay
him a visit; it being the last time, as he said, that he would ever have
an opportunity of seeing his face. Nogher, whose moral impressions
were by no means so correct as Connor's, asked him, with a face of dry,
peculiar mystery, if he had any particular wish unfulfilled; o