ght 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
night."

His father's countenance fell again, as did those of his friends who
were present, on hearing what appeared to be almost an admission of his
guilt.

"Go," said the old man, "go; naburs, take him with you. If he's guilty
of this, I'll never more look upon his face. John, my heart was crushed
before, but you're likely to break it out an' out."

Lamh Laudher Oge's deportment, on hearing himself charged with robbery,
became dogged and sullen. The conversation, together with the sympathy
and the doubt it excited among his friends, he treated with silent
indignation and scorn. He remembered that on the night before, the
strange woman assured him she had not been robbed, and he felt that the
charge was exceedingly strange and unaccountable.

"Come," said he, "the sooner this business is cleared up the better.
For my part, I don't know what to make of it, nor do I care much how it
goes. I knew since yesterday evening, that bad luck was before me, at
all events, an' I suppose it must take its course, an' that I must bear
it."

The father had sat down, and now declined uttering a single word in
vindication of his' son. The latter looked towards him, when about to
pass out, but the old man waved his hand with sorrowful impatience,
and pointed to the door, as intimating a wish that he should forthwith
depart from under his roof. Loaded with twofold disgrace, he left his
family and his friends, accompanied by the constables, to the profound
grief and astonishment of all who knew him.

They then conducted him before a Mr. Brooldeigh, an active magistrate of
that day, and a gentleman of mild and humane character.

CHAPTER IV.

On reaching Brookleigh Hall, Lamh Laudher found the strange woman, Nell
M'Collum, Connor's servant maid, and the carman awaiting his arrival.
The magistrate looked keenly at the prisoner, and immediately glanced
with an expression of strong disgust at Nell M'Collum. The other female
surveyed Lamh Laudher with an interest evidently deep; after which
she whispered something to Nell, who frowned and shook her head, as if
dissenting from what she had heard. Lamh Laudher, on his part surveyed
the features of the female with an earnestness that seemed to absorb all
sense of his own disgrace and danger.

"O'Rorke," said the