insensible form from my arms. "How did it happen? Who struck her?"

"Who? Curse him! Who but Simon Slade?" answered Joe Morgan,
through his clenched teeth.

The look of anguish, mingled with bitter reproach, instantly
thrown upon the landlord by his wife, can hardly be forgotten by
any who saw it that night.

"Oh, Simon! Simon! And has it come to this already?" What a world
of bitter memories, and sad forebodings of evil, did that little
sentence express. "To this already"--Ah! In the downward way, how
rapidly the steps do tread--how fast the progress!

"Bring me a basin of water, and a towel, quickly!" she now
exclaimed.

The water was brought, and in a little while the face of the child
lay pure and as white as snow against her bosom. The wound from
which the blood had flowed so freely was found on the upper part
of the forehead, a little to the side, and extending several
inches back, along the top of the head. As soon as the blood
stains were wiped away, and the effusion partially stopped, Mrs.
Slade carried the still insensible body into the next room,
whither the distressed, and now completely sobered father,
accompanied her. I went with them, but Slade remained behind.

The arrival of the doctor was soon followed by the restoration of
life to the inanimate body. He happened to be at home, and came
instantly. He had just taken the last stitch in the wound, which