be observed to
follow him at a distance, and ever as he began to mutter his drunken
meditations to himself, she approached him more closely behind, in
order, if possible, to lose nothing of what he said.

"An ould fool," he hiccupped, "to throw them back to me--hie--an' the
other a kna-a-ve to want to--to look at them; but I was up--up; if the
young-oung L-lor-ord will buy them, he mu-must-ust pay for them, for
I hav-ave them safe. Hang it, my head's turn-turn-turnin' about like
the--"

At this portion of his reflections he turned into a low, dark line of
cabins, some inhabited, and others ruined and waste, followed by the
female in question; and if the reader cannot ascertain her object in
dogging him, he must expect no assistance in guessing it from us.

CHAPTER XXXV. Lucy's Vain but Affecting Expostulation with her Father

--Her Terrible Denunciation of Ambrose Gray.

The next morning, after breakfast, Lord Dunroe found Norton and M'Bride
in the stable yard, when the following conversation took place.

"Norton," said his lordship, "I can't understand what they mean by the
postponement of this trial about the mare. I fear they will beat us, and
in that case it is better, perhaps, to compromise it. You know that that
attorney fellow Birney is engaged against us, and by all accounts he has
his wits about him."

"Yes, my lord; but Birney is leaving home, going to France, and they
have succeeded in getting it postponed until the next term. My lord,
this is the man, M'Bride, that I told you of this morning. M'Bride,
have you brought those documents with you? I wish to show them to his
lordship, who, I think, you will find a more liberal purchaser than his
father."

"What's that you said, sir," asked M'Bride, with an appearance of deep
interest, "about Mr. Birney going to France?"

"This is no place to talk about these matters," said his lordship;
"bring the man up to your own room, Norton, and I will join you there.
The thing, however, is a mere farce, and my father a fool, or he would
not give himself any concern about it. Bring him to your room, where I
will join you presently. But, observe me, Norton, none of these tricks
upon me in future. You said you got only twenty-five for the mare, and
now it appears you got exactly double the sum. Now, upon my honor, I
won't stand any more of this."

"But, my lord," replied Norton, laughing, "don't you see how badly
you reason? I got fifty for the mare; of thi