In such cases, we must neither be scared eived by conventional terms, such as 'murby the opinions of the vulgar. Do you nd me?"

ink I do."

and I," continued the old Jesuit, "have ventured our lives in the good cause, and y to do so again; and the conducting of ir will not be without danger to us both. 1 prepared, for the Church's weal, to join e, in jeopardizing your life again? The requires this sacrifice. Are you prepared it ?"

n," said the young murderer, with all the sm of a martyr.

leet me,

have wisely and nobly decided," said the Jein my room, to-night, after I retire." er then gave him his hand. Mac Rory bowed he received it, and was about to withdraw, cher called him back, and said, "You spend your time in the kitchen ?"

66 Yes."

"Know you, therefore, if there be any one dish, of which Father Cavendish alone partakes ?"

"There is."

"That will do."

66

'You propose to accomplish it by poison, then ?" whispered the young man.

"Yes, by medical ingredients, with which you must drug his food. Think you, you can find the opportunity ?"

"Leave that to me," said the young man, licking his lips, like a young hound who has got the first taste of blood.

"Well, be careful, and I will supply you with the compounds; but you must use them in the exact proportion I point out: too large a dose might create suspicion, and we have time enough. "I shall be careful."

"I know it. Farewell," said the priest, looking proudly and kindly at his pupil, as he retired from the private conference.

Were these men acting the hypocrite, or under some damnable delusion, when meditating murder, and speaking of dying for their Church?

They were, to some extent, sincere, and, to the same extent, deceived; but they must have been conscious of practising deception upon themselves,

is too common to be curious, or to rennalysis of the state of mind of those who it, in any wise interesting; all men are, ater or less extent, practising the same self-deception, while the conscience con66 accuse or excuse" it.

CHAPTER XXVI.

"Virgin, awake! the marriage hour is nigh."

РОРЕ.

"Give me to live and die

A spotless maid, without the marriage tie."

DRYDEN.

"A superior being can defeat his designs, and disappoint all his hopes."

TILLOTSON.

A FORTNIGHT after the interview between Archer and Mac Rory, the old priest called the Earl and Miss Spenser to his room, and thus addressed them:

"My Lord, I sent for you and this dear child, to speak on a matter which is now to me the dearest earthly object of my heart-your marriage. The time fixed for it is, I believe, a fortnight from today; would it be convenient to you to have it celebrated before this time ?"

"Dear uncle, why do you ask?" said Ellen.

"It may be weakness in me, but for the last few days I have not felt as I used to do; I suspect the days of my pilgrimage are drawing to a close, and before that time comes, I should like to place your

hands together, for you would, I am sure, find a difficulty in getting another to perform the ceremony, after I am gone."

66

"Oh! uncle-dear uncle, speak not so: God, will spare you to us for many years to come.”

"May be so, my dear child, but I fear not, and it is best to be prepared for the will of God. Now kiss me, and go and consult your mother about the matter; but fix on the earliest day.”

"What day would you propose, sir?" said the Earl, who had not spoken up to this period, but who had kept his eyes fixed on the old man's face,while he was speaking,-in a deep and sorrowful scrutiny.

"Would to-morrow be too soon?"

"To-morrow! uncle."

"Yes, my dear, I should like it; delays, you know, are dangerous, to a proverb."

Ellen stood for some minutes looking at her adopted uncle, or parent, in mute astonishment, and then escaped from the room, to give free vent to her feelings of mingled sorrow and surprise.

"What mean you, sir?" said the Earl, after Ellen had left the room-" what mean you by this?"

"I believe, my Lord, I am very near my end; indeed, I feel certain I cannot live more than a few -a very few days. A strange change has come