ipt which you withheld?"

"Gentlemen," said Carson, not directly replying to the Colonel, "there
is a base conspiracy got up against me; and I can perceive, moreover,
that there is evidently some unaccountable intention on the part of
Colonel B. to insult my feelings and injure my character. When paltry
circumstances that have occurred above ten years ago, are raked up in my
teeth, I have little to say, but that it proves how very badly off
the Colonel must have been for an imputation against my conduct and
discretion as his agent, since he finds himself compelled to hunt so far
back for a charge."

"That is by no means the heaviest charge I have to bring against you,"
replied the Colonel. "There is no lack of them; nor shall you be able to
complain that they are not recent, as well as of longer standing. Your
conduct in the case of poor honest M'Evoy here is black and iniquitous.
He must be restored to his farm, but by other hands than yours, and that
ruffian instantly expelled from it. From this moment, sir, you cease to
be my agent. You have betrayed the confidence I reposed in you; you have
misled me as to the character of my tenants; you have been a deceitful,
cunning, cringing, selfish and rapacious tyrant. My people you have
ground to dust; my property you have lessened in value nearly one-half,
and for your motives in doing this, I refer you to certain transactions
and legal documents which passed between us. There is nothing cruel or
mercenary which you did not practice, in order to enrich yourself. The
whole tenor of your conduct is before me. Your profligacy is not only
discovered, but already proved; and you played those villainous pranks,
I suppose, because I have been mostly an absentee. Do not think,
however, that you shall enjoy the fruits of your extortion? I will place
the circumstances, and the proofs of the respective charges against you,
in the hands of my solicitor, and, by the sacred heaven above me! you
shall disgorge the fruits of your rapacity. My good people, I shall
remain among you for another fortnight, during which time I intend to go
through my estate, and set everything to rights as well as I can, until
I may appoint a humane and feeling gentleman as my agent--such a one as
will have, at least, a character to lose. I also take this opportunity
of informing you, that in future I shall visit you often, will redress
your grievances, should you have any to complain of, and will give such
a