eads.
They came along at a sharp trot, and we could soon perceive that
although the two or three foremost were civilians, they who followed
were dragoons. I thought I saw the priest change colour as the clank of
the accoutrements struck upon his ear. I had, however, but little time
for the observation, as the party soon overtook us.

'You are early on the road, gentlemen,' said a strong, powerfully-built
man, who, mounted upon a grey horse of great bone and action, rode close
up beside us.

'Ah, Sir Thomas, is it you?' said the priest, affecting at once his
former easy and indifferent manner. 'I'd rather see the hounds at your
back than those beagles of King George there. Is there anything wrong in
the country?'

'Let me ask you another question,' said the knight in answer. 'How long
have you been in it, and where did you pass the night, not to hear of
what has occurred?'

''Faith, a home question,' said the priest, summoning up a hearty laugh
to conceal his emotion; 'but if the truth must out, we came round by the
priory at Glenduff, as my friend here being an Englishman--may I beg to
present him to you? Mr. Hinton, Sir Thomas Garland--he heard wonders
of the monks' way of living up there, and I wished to let him judge for
himself.'

'Ah, that accounts for it,' said the tall man to himself. 'We have had a
sad affair of it, Father Tom. Poor Tarleton has been murdered.'

'Murdered!' said the priest, with an expression of horror in his
countenance I could scarcely believe feigned.

'Yes, murdered! The house was attacked a little after midnight. The
party must have been a large one, for while they forced in the hall
door, the haggard and the stables were seen in a blaze. Poor George
had just retired to bed, a little later than usual; for his sons had
returned a few hours before from Dublin, where they had been to attend
their college examination. The villains, however, knew the house well,
and made straight for his room. He got up in an instant, and seizing a
sabre that hung beside his bed, defended himself, with the courage of
desperation, against them all. The scuffle and the noise soon brought
his sons to the spot, who, although mere boys, behaved in the most
gallant manner. Overpowered at last by numbers, and covered with wounds,
they dragged poor Tarleton downstairs, shouting out as they went, "Bring
him down to Freney's! Let the bloody villain see the black walls and
the cold hearth he has made, before he di