t was the subject, from the significant glances which each
turned upon him from time to time.

In the meantime, the old man, recognizing the priest rather by his voice
than his appearance, lost no time in acquainting the officers of justice
that they were completely mistaken in the individual. The latter had
briefly mentioned to him the circumstance and cause of his arrest.

"I want you," said the priest, "to go to Sir Thomas Gourlay directly,
and tell him that I have his money and pistols quite safe, and that I
was on my way up to town with them, when this unpleasant mistake took
place."

"I will, your reverence," said he, "without loss of time. I see," he
added, addressing Darby and the others, "that you have made a mistake
here."

"What mistake, my good man?" asked Darby.

"Why, simply, that instead of a robber, you have been sharp enough to
take up a most respectable Catholic clergyman from Ballytrain."

"What," said Darby, "a Popish priest! Curse me, but that's as good,
if not better, than the other thing. No Papist is allowed, under
the penalty of a felony, to carry arms, and here is a Popish priest
travelling with pistols. The other thing, Skipton, was only for the
magistrates, but this is a government affair."

"He may be Finnerty, after all," replied Skipton, aside; "this old
fellow is no authority as to his identity, as you may guess from what I
told you."

"At all events," replied Darby, "we shall soon know which he is--priest
or robber; but I hope, for our own sakes, he'll prove a priest on our
hands. At any rate the magistrates are now in the office, and it's full
time to bring his reverence up."

Corbet, in the meantime, had gone to Sir Thomas Gourlay's with his
reverence's message, and in a few minutes afterwards the prisoner,
strongly guarded, was conducted to the police office.

CHAPTER XXV. The Police Office

--Sir Spigot Sputter and Mr. Coke--An Unfortunate Translator--Decision
in "a Law Case."

It is not our intention to detail the history of occurrences that are
calculated to fill the mind with sorrow, not unmingled with disgust, or
to describe scenes that must necessarily lower our estimate of both man
and woman. On the bench sat two magistrates, of whom we may say that,
from ignorance of law, want of temper, and impenetrable stupidity, the
whole circle of commercial or professional life could not produce a pair
more, signally unqualified for the important offices they occupi