mouthful of
freedom. In the meantime I know one, as I said, that will enable us to
make sure of him."

"Pray, who is that?"

"Tom Steeple, sir."

"Do you mean the poor fool of that name--or rather, I believe, of that
nickname?"

"I do, sir; and in many things he's less of a fool than wiser men. He
has been dodg-in' him for the last two or three days; and he's a
person that no one would ever suspect, unless, indeed, the cautious and
practised Rapparees; but in ordher to meet any such suspicion, I have
got upon the right trail myself--we're sure of him now, I think."

"Well, Reilly," proceeded the sheriff, "I leave the management of the
capture of this man to yourself. You shall have a strong and determined
party to support you. Do you only show them the man, and, take my word
for it, they will secure the robber. After this affair is over you must
throw off those rags. I will furnish you with decent clothes, and you
can go out at large without fear or risk, and that under your own name
too. I took your hint, and declined swearing the informations against
him before the old squire, as I had intended, from an apprehension that
he might possibly blab the fact to Whitecraft, who, if your information
be correct, would have given him notice to fly, or otherwise concealed
him from justice."

"Well, sir," said Reilly, "it's my opinion that the Rapparee will lodge
in Sligo jail before to-morrow mornin'; and it's a thousand pities that
Whitecraft shouldn't be sent there to keep him company."

"He certainly is the most unpopular man living. In the exuberance of his
loyalty he has contrived to offend almost every liberal Protestant
in the county, and that with an unjustifiable degree of wanton, and
overbearing insolence, arising from his consciousness of impunity.
However, thank God, his day is gone by. But, mark me, Reilly--I had
almost forgotten--don't neglect to secure the clothes in which the
villain robbed me; they will be important."

"I had no intention of forgetting them, sir; and that scheme for
throwing the guilt of his own villany on Mr. Reilly is another reason
why I appear against him."

It was not, indeed, very easy for the Rapparee to escape. Whitecraft got
home safe, a little before dusk, after putting his unfortunate horse
to more than his natural speed. On his arrival he ordered wine to
be brought, and sat down to meditate upon the most feasible plan for
reinstating himself in the good graces of the new