Every one knows how slow the heart of wife or child is to entertain such a terrible suspicion against a husband or a parent, and that the discovery of their guilt comes upon the spirit with a weight of distress and agony that is great in proportion to the confidence felt in them.
The affectionate family in question had just concluded their simple act of evening worship, and were seated around a dull fire, looking forward in deep dejection to the awful event of the following day.

The silence that prevailed was only broken by an occasional sob from the girls, or a deep sigh from young Con, who, with his mother, had not long been returned from Ballynafail, where they had gone to make preparations for the old man's defence.

His chair stood by the fire, in its usual place, and as they looked upon it from time to time, they could not prevent their grief from bursting out afresh.

The mother, on this occasion, found the usual grounds for comfort taken away from both herself and them--we mean, the husband's innocence.

She consequently had but one principle to rely on--that of single dependence upon God, and obedience to His sovereign will, however bitter the task might be, and so she told them.
"It's a great thrial to us, children," she observed; "an' it's only natural we should feel it.