“Let him alone, Donnel,” said Sullivan; “it's not safe to meddle with one of his name. You don't know what harm he may do you.”
“I'm not afeard of him,” said the prophet, with a sneer; “he'll find himself a little mistaken, if he tries his hand. It won't be for me you'll hang, my lad.”
The words were scarcely uttered when a terrific blow on the eye, struck with the rapidity of lightning, shot him to the earth, where he lay for about half a minute, apparently insensible. He then got up, and after shaking his head, as if to rid himself of a sense of confusion and stupor, looked at Dalton for some time.
“Well,” said he, “it's all over now—but the truth is, the fault was my own. I provoked him too much, an' without any occasion. I'm sorry you struck me, Condy, for I was only jokin' all the time. I never had ill-will against you; an' in spite of what has happened, I haven't now.”
A feeling of generous regret, almost amounting to remorse, instantly touched Dalton's heart; he seized the hand of Donnel, and expressed his sorrow for the blow he had given him.
“My God,” he exclaimed, “why did I strike you? But sure no one could for a minute suppose that you weren't in earnest.”
“Well, well,” said the other, “let it be a warnin' to both of us; to me, in the first place, never to carry a joke too far; and to you, never to allow your passion to get the betther of you, afaird that you might give a blow in anger that you'd have cause to repent of all the days of your life. My eye and cheek is in a frightful state; but no matther, Condy, I forgive you, especially in the hope that you'll mark my advice.”
Dalton once more asked his pardon, and expressed his unqualified sorrow at what had occurred; after which he again shook hands with Dalton and departed.
Sullivan felt surprised at this rencontre, especially at the nature of its singular termination; he seemed, however, to fall into a meditative and gloomy mood, and observed when Dalton had gone—
“If I ever had any doubt, Donnel, that my poor brother owed his death to a Dalton, I haven't it now.”