to, and as there was no further necessity for any combined motion
among them, and as every man now was anxious to reach home as soon
as possible, their numbers diminished rapidly, until they ultimately
dispersed themselves in all directions throughout the country.

CHAPTER IV.--Mirth and Murder--A Tithe-Proctor's Office.

The next morning, when our proctor and his family assembled at
breakfast, their usual buoyancy of spirits was considerably checked by
a report which had already spread over a great portion of the country,
that a very industrious and honest farmer, who lived within about four
miles of them, had been murdered in his own house the night before, by
a party of fellows disguised with blackened faces, and who wore shirts
over their clothes. The barbarous and brutal deed, in consequence of the
amiable and excellent character of the man--who had been also remarkable
for resolution and courage--had already excited an extraordinary
commotion throughout the country.

"Boys," said Purcel, "I have been in C------m this morning, and, I'm
sorry to say, there's bad news abroad."

"How is that, sir?" asked Alick,--"no violence, I hope; although I
wouldn't feel surprised if there were; the country is getting into a bad
state: I think myself the people are mad, absolutely mad."

"You both knew Matthew Murray," he proceeded, "that lived down at
Rathkeerin?"

"Certainly, father," said John; "what about him?--no harm, I hope?"

"He was murdered in his own house last night," replied his father; "but
it's some consolation that one of the murdering villains is in custody."

"That is bad business, certainly," replied John; "in fact, it's
dreadful."

"It is dreadful," said the father; "but the truth is, we must have
the country, at least this part of it, proclaimed, and martial law
established;--damn the murdering scoundrels, nothing else is fit for
them. We must carry arms, boys, in future; and by d--n, the first man
I see looking at me suspiciously, especially from behind a hedge, I'll
shoot him. As a tithe-proctor I could do so without much risk."

"Not, father," said Alick, "until he should first offer, or make an
attempt at violence."

"I would not, in the present state of the country, wait for it," replied
the determined and now indignant proctor; "if I saw him watch me with
arms in his hands, or any dangerous weapon about his person, by d--n I'd
put a bullet through him, with no more remorse than I wo