time he breathed, opened his eyes, looked mournfully about him, and
asked what had happened him. Never was pardon to the malefactor, nor the
firm tread of land to the shipwrecked mariner, so welcome as the dawn of
returning life in Felix was to his brother. The moment he saw the poor
youth's eyes fixed upon him, and heard his voice, he threw himself on
his knees at the bedside, clasped him in his arms, and with an impetuous
tide of sensations, in which were blended joy, grief, burning affection,
and remorse, he kissed his lips, strained him to his bosom, and wept
with such agony, that poor Felix was compelled to console him.

"Oh! Felix, Felix," exclaimed Hugh "what was it I did to you? or how
could the devil out of hell tempt me to--to--to--oh! Felix agra, say
you're not hurted--say only that you'll be as well as ever, an I take
God and every one present to witness, that from this minute till the day
of my death, a harsh word 'll never crass my lips to you. Say you're not
hurted, Felix dear! Don't you know, Felix, in spite of my dark-temper's
putting me into a passion with you sometimes, that I always loved you?"

"Yes you did, Hugh," replied Felix, "an' I still knew you did. I didn't
often contradict you, because I knew, too, that the passion would soon
go off of you, and that you'd be kind to me again."

"Yeah, yeelish," said the other, while the scalding tears flowed
profusely down his cheeks, and the deep sobs almost choked him. "Oh,
yeah, yeelish! what could come over me! As judgment's before me, he was
the best brother ever God created--you were, Felix darling--you were,
you were!" He again pressed him to his heart, and kissed his lips with
an overwhelming fulness of remorse and love.

"An' another thing, Felix dear--but first tell me are you gettin'