al search, he at last discovered that this priest, in company
with another, was residing at the little inn of "The Rore."

Having communicated his plan to the old General, who but half assented
to the idea of negotiating with the enemy, Hipsley set out for
"The Rore," after a long day of fatiguing labor. "An inaccurate and
insufficient indictment," repeated the lawyer to himself; "the old and
hackneyed resource to balk the prurient curiosity of the public, and cut
off the scent when the gossiping pack are in full cry,--this is all
that we have now left to us. We must go into court; the only thing is to
leave it as soon as we are able."

It was not till he was within half a mile of the little inn that Hipsley
saw all the difficulty of what he was engaged in; for in what way or on
what pretext was he to address Cahill in the matter, or by what right
connect him with the proceedings? The hardihood by which he had often
suggested to a witness what he wanted to elicit, stood his part now, and
he boldly passed the threshold, and asked for Father Cahill. Mistaking
him for the chief counsel on the other side, the landlord bowed
obsequiously, and, without further parley, introduced him into the room
where D'Esmonde and Cahill were then sitting.

"I see, gentlemen," said Hipsley, bowing politely to each, "that I
am not the person you expected; but may I be permitted to enjoy an
advantage which good fortune has given me, and ask of you a few moments'
conversation? I am the counsel engaged by Mr. Dalton, in the case which
on Tuesday next is to be brought to trial; and having learned from Mr.
Grounsell that I might communicate with you in all freedom and candor,
I have come to see if something cannot be done to rescue the honor of
a family from the shame of publicity, and the obloquy that attends the
exposure of a criminal court."

D'Esmonde took up a book as Hipsley began this address, and affected to
be too deeply engaged in his reading to pay the least attention to what
went forward; while Cahill remained standing, as if to intimate to the
stranger the propriety of a very brief interruption.

"You must have mistaken the person you are addressing, sir," said the
priest, calmly. "My name is Cahill."

"Precisely, sir; and to the Reverend Mr. Cahill I desire to speak. It is
about ten days or a fortnight since you called on Dr. Grounsell with
a proposition for the settlement of this affair. I am not sufficiently
conversant with