me if you recollect if the little girl or her
mother ever wore a necklace of red beads mixed with gold."

"Yes, that my lady did; and it was on the child's neck when it was lost,
and when the body was found, it was not with it. Well I recollect that,
for my mother said the child must have been drowned or murdered for
the sake of the gold beads."

"Then you have proved all I wished, Kathleen; and now I tell you that
this little girl is alive, and that I can produce the necklace which was
lost with her; and more, that she was taken away by Sir Henry himself."

"Merciful Jesus!" replied Kathleen; "the dear little child that we
cried over so much."

"But now, Kathleen, I have told you this, to prove to you that I am not
what M'Dermott has asserted, no doubt, with the intention that my brains
shall be knocked out this night."

"And so they will, sure enough," replied Kathleen, "if you do not
escape."

"But how am I to escape? and will you assist me?" And I laid down on the
table ten guineas from my purse, "Take that, Kathleen, and it will help
you and Corny. Now will you assist me?"

"It's Corny that will be the first to knock your brains out," replied
Kathleen, "unless I can stop him. I must go now, and I'll see what can
be done."

Kathleen would have departed without touching the gold; but I caught
her by the wrist, collected it, and put it into her hand. "That's not
like a tithe proctor, at all events," replied Kathleen; "but my heart
aches, and my head swims, and what's to be done I know not." So saying,
Kathleen quitted the room.

"Well," thought I, after she had left the room, "at all events, I have
not been on a wrong scent this time. Kathleen has proved to me that Fleta
is the daughter of the late Sir William; and if I escape this snare,
Melchior shall do her justice." Pleased with my having so identified
Melchior and Fleta, I fell into a train of thought, and for the first
time forgot my perilous situation; but I was roused from my meditations
by an exclamation from Kathleen. "No, no, Corny, nor any of ye--not
now--and mother and me to witness it--it shall not be. Corny, hear me,
as sure as blood's drawn, and we up to see it, so sure does Corny
O'Toole never touch this hand of mine." A pause, and whispering followed,
and again all appeared to be quiet. I unstrapped my portmanteau, took
out my pistols, which were loaded, re-primed them, and remained quiet,
determined to sell my life as dearly as possible.