"Robbery!" they exclaimed with one voice.

"Ay," said the man, "robbery, no less--an' what is more, I'm afraid
there's little doubt of his guilt. Why did he lave his hat at the place
where the attempt was first made? He must come with us."

The mother shrieked aloud, and clapped her hands like a distressed
woman; the father's brow changed from the flushed hue of indignation,
and became pale with apprehension.

"Oh! no, no," he exclaimed, "John never did that. Some qualm might come
over him in the other business, but--no, no--your father knows you're
innocent of robbery. Yes, John, my blood is in you, and there you're
wronged, my son. I know you too well, in spite of all I've said to you,
to believe that, my true-hearted boy."

He grasped his son's hand as he spoke.

And his mother at the same moment caught him in her arms, whilst both
sobbed aloud. A strong sense of innate dignity expanded the brow of
young Lamh Laudher. He smiled while his parents wept, although his
sympathy in their sorrow brought a tear at the same time to his
eye-lids. He declined, however, entering into any explanation, and the
father proceeded--

"Yes! I know you are innocent, John; I can swear that you didn't leave
this house from nine o'clock last night up to the present minute."

"Father," said Lamh Laudher, "don't swear that, for it would not be
true, although you think it would. I was out the greater part of last