o. Don't trust either o' them, I say, for the
present, at any rate; for I hope soon to know more about them."

"Well, then, Mogue," said Alick, laughing, "I'll keep my eye on them."

"Do so, sir; an' as I'm spakin' to you as a friend that you may trust,
I tell you, Mr. Alick, that although I'm quiet, as I said a while agone,
still as there's likely to be danger to your family, I'd wish to help
you to meet it, and to do whatever little I could in your defence--I
would, indeed; but you know, Mr. Alick, I can't do that so long as
I'm kept sleepin' in the out-houses. If I was allowed any kind of
a shake-down in the house, I could do a good deal in the way of
assistance. I could help you to load your fire-arms, or I could take
charge of the ladies, and many other thing that I couldn't do out o' the
house, so that was all I had to say to you, Mr. Alick."

"Thank you, Mogue; I really feel obliged to you; and I shall think
over what you have said to me. If we admit any stranger to sleep in the
house, with the exception of Mr. M'Carthy, you shall be the man; I will
promise you that much, conditionally."

"And not a word of what I hinted about Jerry?"

"You need not be at all uneasy on that score; as I said, I shall keep
my eye on him. We must now go to prepare for this auction, which, of
course, so far as we are concerned, will be both an unpleasant and
unprofitable affair. Go, then, and get the horses. We have also some
processes to serve, and it will be necessary that we should see the
bailiffs, to give them proper instructions, and directions to the houses
on which they are to serve them."

"Is Mr. O'Driscol goin' wid you, sir?"

"No, Mogue," replied Alick, laughing, "ever since the country has risen,
as he calls it, Mr. O'Driscol. has lost his health. Indeed, ever since
the day he was attacked at Philpot's Corner, by the four black faces, a
fact which he has dignified with the name of insurrection, he has taken
no active part in public life. He does nothing now but correspond with
his friend the Castle, as he says."

The morning on which this conversation took place was a dull, gloomy
one, about the middle of December. It did not rain, but the weather had
been dark and desolate in character for above a week before; in fact,
of that cheerless description which represses animal spirits,
and superinduces upon the mind impressions that are dreary and
disheartening.

A chief constable of police, accompanied by a body of