ledge of it may be serviceable to you or your lawyers, I think I
ought to mention it to you."

"Pray, what is it?" asked Reilly.

"Why, sir, it is said to be a fact that the _Cooleen Bawn_ has proved
false and treacherous, and is coming this day to bear her testimony
against you."

Reilly replied with a smile of confidence, which the darkness of the
room prevented the other from seeing, "Well, Mr. O'Shaugh-nessy, even
if she does, it cannot be helped; have you heard what the nature of her
evidence is likely to be?"

"No; it seems her father and Doldrum the attorney asked her, and she
would not tell them; but she said she had made her mind up to attend the
trial and see justice done. Don't be cast down, Mr. Reilly, though, upon
my soul, I think she ought to have stood it out in your favor to the
last."

"Come," said Reilly, "I am ready; time will tell, Mr. O'Shaughnessy, and
a short time too; a few hours now, and all will know the result."

"I hope in God it may be in your favor, Mr. Reilly."

"Thank you, O'Shaughnessy; lead on; I am ready to attend you."

The jail was crowded even to suffocation; but this was not all. The
street opposite the jail was nearly as much crowded as the jail itself,
a moving, a crushing mass of thousands having been collected to abide
and hear the issue. It was with great difficulty, and not without the
aid of a strong military force, that a way could be cleared for the
judge as he approached the prison. The crowd was silent and passive,
but in consequence of the report that the _Cooleen Bawn_ was to appear
against Reilly, a profound melancholy and an expression of deep sorrow
seemed to brood over it. Immediately after the judge's carriage came
that of the squire, who was accompanied by his daughter, Mrs. Brown and
Mrs. Hastings, for Helen had insisted that her father should procure
their attendance. A private room in the prison had, by previous
arrangement, been prepared for them, and to this they were conducted by
a back way, so as to avoid the crushing of the crowd. It was by this
way also that the judge and lawyers entered the body of the court-house,
without passing through the congregated mass.

At length the judge, having robed himself, took his seat on the bench,
and, on casting his eye over the court-house, was astonished at the
dense multitude that stood before him. On looking at the galleries, he
saw that they were crowded with ladies of rank and fashion. Every thing
havi