mbug, a faculty in which she was ably
supported by a fellow-servant of a very different description from
Mogue, named Jerry Joyce. Joyce, in fact, was not merely a strong
contrast to Mogue, but his very reverse in almost every point of his
character. He was open and artless in the opinion of many, almost to
folly; but, under this apparent thoughtlessness, there existed a fund of
good sense, excellent feeling, and quickness of penetration, for which
the world gave him no credit, or at least but very little.

Jerry and Letty, therefore, between whom a real affection subsisted,
were in the habit of amusing themselves, whenever they could do so
without discovery, at Mogue's expense. Such, then, was the relative
position of these parties at the present stage of our narrative.

When John Purcel was seen in the office, the tithe defaulters, for such
they were, went to the outside of the window, where they all stood until
it became the turn of each to go in. Although they went there to plead
their inability to pay, yet, in fact, there were a great proportion of
them who exhibited, neither by their manner nor appearance, any symptom
whatever of poverty. On the countenances of most of them might be
read, not only a stern, gloomy, and resolute expression, but one of
dissatisfaction and bitter resentment. As they turned their eyes upon
young Purcel, and looked around at the unequivocal marks of great
wealth, if not luxury itself, that were conspicuous in every direction,
there was a significance in the smiles and glances which passed between
them, that gave very appropriate foretaste of the convulsions which ere
long took place in the country. John Purcel himself had remarked these
appearances on almost every recent occasion, and it was the striking, or
rather startling, aspect of these men, that caused him to allude to it
just before sending Moylan to them.

It is not our intention to detail, at full length, the angry
altercations which took place between them, as each went in, from time
to time, to apologize for not paying up his tithes. Every possible
excuse was offered; but so well and thoroughly were Purcel and his sons
acquainted with the circumstances, of, we may say, almost every family,
not merely in the parish, but in the barony itself, that it proved a
matter of the greatest difficulty to mislead or impose on any of them.
Nay, so anxious did the shrewd tithe-proctor feel upon this subject,
that he actually got himself