"I know that," said Mogue; "still an' all, the nerra foot I'd brought
him to his house, only we stumbled on it out o' the mist, by mere
accident, an' by coorse it was the next to us. Goodness' sake, Jerry,
carry these things home for me, will you? I'm not able to mark the
ground--do, avick, an' I'll offer up a pathran avy for you before I lay
down my head this night, tired as I am."

"Well, begad, it's myself that would, Mogue, but you see, as I'm out for
a while, an' so near my poor mother's, throth I'll slip over and see
how she is, the crature; only for that, Mogue, I'd lighten you of the
shootin' things wid a heart an' a half."

"But sure you can see your poor mother, the crature, any other evenin'?
Do come back, Jerry, an' I'll do twiste as much for you agin. Oh!
oh! milia murther! I'm not able to get on my legs. Give me your hand,
Jerry--oh! oh!--well, well--what's this at all? Jerry, achora, don't
desart me now, 'an me in the state you see. I'll never get home by
myself--that's what I won't--mavrone, oh! what's this?--I'm fairly
kilt."

"Well, but the thruth is, Mogue," replied his companion, "that I got
a message from my mother, sayin' that she's not well, and wishes most
partiklarly to see me about my sisther Shibby's marriage. Now, Mogue,
you're a pious and religious boy, an' would be the last to encourage me
to neglect a parent's wishes: ay, or that would allow me to do so, even
if I intended it; throth I know it's a scoulden' you'd give me if I
did."

Mogue's flank was completely turned; he was, in fact, most adroitly
taken upon his own principle; his egregious vanity was ticked by this
compliment to his piety; and, as he was at no time a person of firm
character, he gave way.

Thought Jerry to himself, as he left this plausible hypocrite, to
proceed home under his affected fatigue, "I know there's mischief on
foot to-night, for if there wasn't I an' others 'ud be summoned to this
meetin'; there will be nobody there, I suppose, but the black squad or
the bloodmen. It'll go hard wid me, at any rate, but I'll send one there
that'll bring Mr. M'Carthy from among them without suspicion; an' so
here goes to lose no time about it."

He then plunged into the most solitary and remote fields, and pursued
his way, anxious, if possible, to meet no one, much less any of those
who belonged, as he said, "to the black squad."

Of late, the state of public feeling upon the subject of tithes had
become so violent an