e," observed Purcel, "that there is one syllable of
truth in what he says. I can read the falsehood in his eye. However,"
he added, "if you will postpone this matter of Hourigan's for a few
minutes, I shall soon see whether there is any one there or not."

"Here, then," said the magistrate, "take these pistols" (pointing to
those which Finigan had just laid on the table). Purcel declined them
with a nod, taking a good case at the same time out of his own pocket.
"No, sir, thank you, I never travel without my two friends here, with
either of which I can break a bottle at the distance of thirty yards.
You will be good enough to tell that to your friends, Mr. Hourigan, and
also to reflect upon it yourself."

Having examined his friends, as he called them, he started out and
proceeded directly towards the shrubbery, where, however, there was no
trace whatever of any one. On his way home he met Fergus O'Driscol, who
had been out that morning cock-shooting through the grounds, and to whom
he mentioned the story told by Hourigan. "Why, the lying scoundrel,"
exclaimed Fergus, "I saw him myself speaking to a new laboring lad whom
Mr. Arthur, the steward, sent in there this morning to gather and remove
the rotten underwood. He has only vamped up this story to frighten my
heroic father, and between you and me it is not difficult to do."

"I dare say you are right, Fergus, but between you and me again, who is
this new-comer you mention? for you may rest assured that if he be
very intimate with Darby Hourigan, you had as good keep an eye upon him.
Darby is one of the good ones."

"I don't even know his name yet," replied Fergus, "but if we are
to judge by appearances, he is somewhat of Darby's kidney, for a
worse-looking young vagabond I have seldom laid my eyes upon. At all
events I know Hourigan's story to be a lie, for as he came up the avenue
I was in the shrubbery, looking for a cock I shot, which dropped among
the hollies, and there was certainly nobody there but this strange
fellow and Hourigan, both of whom chatted to each other for some
minutes across the hedge; and, by the way, I now remember that they kept
watching about them suspiciously, as if they did not wish to be seen
speaking together. The fact, now that you have mentioned the case, is
evident; I could not be deceived in this matter."

"Well then," said Purcel, "I will tell you how we shall bring that
circumstance to a test: get the strange fellow to walk my ho