a reckoning with Mr. Tarleton----'

'Come, you,' cried the priest, who joined us at the moment, and who
I could perceive was evidently displeased at the old man's
communicativeness--'come, you, the sooner you all get back the better.
We must look after Mary, too; for God knows where she is wandering. And
now let us put the poor boy in the earth.'

With slow and sullen steps the old man entered the house, followed by
the others. I did not accompany them, but stood beside the grave, my
mind full of all I heard. In a few minutes they returned, carrying the
coffin, one corner of which was borne by the priest himself. Their heads
were bare, and their features were pale and care-worn. They placed the
body in the grave, and gazed down after it for some seconds. The priest
spoke a few words in a low, broken voice, the very sounds of which,
though their meaning was unknown to me, sank deep into my heart. He
whispered for an instant to one of the young men, who went into the
cabin and speedily returned, carrying with him some of the clothes of
the deceased and the old carbine that lay beneath the bed.

'Throw them in the grave, Mickey--throw them in,' said the priest.
'Where's his coat?'

'It isn't there, sir,' said the man. 'That's everything that has a mark
of blood upon it.'

'Give me that gun,' cried the priest; and at the same moment he took the
carbine by the end of the barrel, and by one stroke of his strong foot
snapped it at the breech. 'My curse be on you!' said he, as he kicked
the fragments into the grave; 'there was peace and happiness in the land
before men knew ye, and owned ye! Ah, Hugh,' said he, turning his eyes
fiercely on the old man, 'I never said ye hadn't griefs and trials, and
sore ones too, some of them; but God help you, if you think that an
easy conscience and a happy home can be bought by murder.' The old man
started at the words, and as his dark brow lowered and his lip trembled,
I drew near to the priest, fearful lest an attack might be made on him.
'Ay, murder, boys! that's the word, and no less. Don't tell me about
righting yourselves, and blood for blood, and all that. There's a curse
upon the land where these things happen, and the earth is not lucky that
is moistened with the blood of God's creatures.'

'Cover him up! cover him up!' said the old man, shovelling in the earth
so as to drown the priest's words, 'and let us be going. We ought to be
back by six o'clock, unless,' added he with a