habits of the family.

"There is something on my mind this night," said Barney; "I can't tell
what it is; but I think he is bent on some villainous scheme that ought
to be watched, and in the name of God I will watch him."

Woodward went out of the house more stealthily than usual, and took his
way towards the town of Rathfillan. A good way in the distance behind
him might be discovered another figure dogging his footsteps, that
figure being no other than the honest figure of Barney Casey. On
went Woodward unsuspicious that he was watched, until he reached the
indescribable cabin of Sol Donnel, the old herbalist. The night had
become dark, and Barney was able, without being seen, to come near
enough to Woodward to hear his words and observe his actions. He tapped
at the old man's window, which, after some delay and a good deal of
grumbling, was at length opened to him. The hut consisted of only one
room--a fact which Barney well knew.

"Who is there?" said the old herbalist. "Why do you come at this hour to
deprive me of my rest? Nobody comes for any good purpose at such an hour
as this."

"Open your door, you hypocritical old sinner, and I will speak to you.
Open your door instantly."

"Wait, then; I will open it; to be sure--I will open it; because I know
whoever you are that if there was not something extraordinary in it, it
isn't at this hour you'd be coming to me."

"Open the door I say, and then I shall speak to you."

The window, which the old herbalist had opened, and, in the hurry of
the moment, left unshut, remained unshut, and Barney, after Woodward had
entered, stood close to it in order to hear the conversation which might
pass between them.

"Now," said Woodward, after he had entered the hut, "I want a dose
from you. One of my dogs, I fear, is seized with incipient symptoms of
hydrophobia, and I wish to dose him to death."

"And what hour is this to come for such a purpose?" asked Sol Donnel. "It
isn't at midnight that a man comes to me to ask for a dose of poison for
a dog."

"You are very right in that," replied Woodward; "but the truth is, that
I had an assignation with a girl in the town, and I thought that I might
as well call upon you now as at any other time."

The eye of the old sinner glistened, for he knew perfectly well that the
malady of the dog was a fable.

"Well," said he, "I can give you the dose, but what's to be the
recompense?"

"What do you ask?" replied the other. "I