or the accent, that touched Tom
Keane's sympathy for the speaker; some strange suspicion perhaps, that
he was one whose fortune, like his own, was not beyond the casualties
and chances of life, and it was with a species of coarse friendship that
he said, "Ah, if we had it between us, we 'd do well."

"Right well; no need to ask for better," said Linton, with a heartiness
of assent that made the other perfectly at ease. "I'm curious to have a
look at the inside of the place; I suppose there is no hindrance?"

"None in life! I live below, and, faix, there's no living anywhere
else, for most of the stairs is burned, and, as I towld ye, the rats has
upstairs all to themselves. Nancy, give us a light," cried he, passing
into the dark and spacious hall, "I'm going to show a gentleman the
curiosities. I ax you honer's pardon, the place is n't so clean as it
might be."

Linton gave one peep into the long and gloomy chamber, where the whole
family were huddled together in all the wretchedness and disorder of a
cabin, and at once drew back.

"The cows is on the other side," said the man, "and, beyond, there's
four rooms was never plastered; and there, where you see the straw,
that's the billiard-room, and inside of it again, there's a place for
play-actin', and, more by token, there's a quare thing there."

"What's that?" asked Linton, whose curiosity was excited by the remark.

"Come, and I 'll show yer honer."

So saying, he led on through a narrow corridor, and, passing through two
or three dilapidated, ruined chambers, they entered a large and spacious
apartment, whose sloping floor at once showed Linton that they were
standing on the stage of a theatre.

Tom Keane held up the flickering light, that the other might see the
torn and tattered remnants of the decorations, and the fragments of
scenes, as they flapped to and fro. "It's a dhroll place, anyhow," said
he, "and there's scarce a bit of it hasn't a trap-door, or some other
contrivance of the like; but here's one stranger than all; this is what
I towld yer honer about." He walked, as he spoke, to the back wall
of the building, where, on the surface of the plaster, a rude scene,
representing a wood, was painted, at one side of which a massive pile of
rock, overgrown with creepers, stood. "Now, ye 'd never guess what was
there," said Tom, holding the candle in different situations to exhibit
the scene; "and, indeed, I found it by chance myself; see this,"--and he