After Lamh Laudher had been chaired by the people, and borne throughout every nook of the town, he begged them to permit him to go home.  With a fresh volley of shouts and hurras they proceeded, still bearing him in triumph towards his father’s house, where they left him, after a last and deafening round of cheers.  Our readers can easily fancy the pride of his parents and friends on receiving him.

“Father,” said he, “my name’s’ cleared.  I hope I have the Lamh Laudher blood in me still.  Mother, you never doubted me, but you wor forced to give way.”

“My son, my son,” said the father, embracing him, “my noble boy!  There never was one of your name like you.  You’re the flower of us all!”

His mother wept with joy and pressed him repeatedly to her heart; and all his relations were as profuse as they were sincere in their congratulations.

“One thing troubles us,” observed his parents, “what will become of his wife?  John dear,” said his mother, “my heart aches for her.”

“God knows and so does mine,” exclaimed the father; “there is goodness about her.”

“She is freed from a tyrant and a savage,” replied their son, “for he was both, and she ought to be thankful that she’s rid of him.  But you don’t know that there was an attempt made on my life this mornin’.”

On hearing this, they were all mute with astonishment.

“In the name of heaven how, John?” they inquired with one voice.

[Illustration:  PAGE 110—­ He made a stab at my neck]

“A red-haired man came to my aunt’s,” he continued, “early this mornin’, an’ said if I wanted to hear something for my good, I would follow him.  I did so, an’ I observed that he eyed me closely as we went along.  We took the way that turns up the Quarry, an’ afther gettin’ into one of the little fir groves off the road, he made a stab at my neck, as I stooped to tie my shoe that happened to be loose.  As God would have it, he only tore the skin above my forehead.  I pursued the villain on the spot, but he disappeared among the trees, as if the earth had swallowed him.  I then went into Darby Kavanagh’s, where I got my breakfast; an’ as I was afraid that you might by pure force prevent me from meetin’ the black, I didn’t stir out of it till the proper time came.”

This startling incident occasioned much discussion among his friends, who of course were ignorant alike of the person who had attempted his assassination, and of the motives which could have impelled him to such a crime.  Several opinions were advanced upon the circumstance, but as it had failed, his triumph over the Dead Boxer, as unexpected as it was complete, soon superseded it, and many a health was given “to the best man that ever sprung from the blood of the Lamh Laudhers!” for so they termed him, and well had he earned the epithet.  At this moment an incident occurred which considerably subdued their enjoyment.  Breen, the constable, came to inform them that Nell McCollum, now weltering in her blood, and at the point of death, desired instantly to see them.