heir house; and he had observed
how completely Pat Brady was in young Macdermot's confidence. He also
knew that if any direct legal steps were necessary in selling the
estate under the mortgage, or if any underhand scheming should be
required to drive the Macdermots into further difficulties, Pat Brady
could, and probably would--for a consideration--give him his zealous
co-operation. There were also other reasons why he desired the
assistance of our friend Pat. It was a part of Mr. Keegan's daily
practice to obtain what information he could of the habits of those
with whom he was likely to form any connection; and it was generally
believed through the county, that he could usually tell those
who were, and who were not, guilty of the common crimes of the
times--illicit distillation, and secret conspiracies among the poor
to injure their superiors, or to redress their fancied wrongs. It was
from his accurate information on these points that he was usually
employed in their defence when they were brought to trial, and that
he had been able to detect and punish those by whom he had himself
been attacked. This, moreover, as his character became known, had
materially led to his own safety; for the boys knew that he knew
everything through the county, and thus had learnt to become afraid
of him.

He felt, therefore, that as it was probable that Ballycloran would
become his own, Pat Brady's assured services might be of great
utility; and he found but little difficulty in obtaining them. Pat
was clever enough to foresee that the days of the Macdermots were
over, and that it was necessary for him to ingratiate himself with
the probable future "masther;" and though he, of course, made
sufficiently good market of his treachery, he felt that in all ways
he consulted his own interest best in making himself useful to
Keegan. He had dim prospects, too, of great worldly advantages which
might accrue from being chief informer to so conspicuous a man as Mr.
Keegan was likely to prove himself, and, with no false self-vanity,
he felt himself qualified for such a situation. There was
considerable danger in being always among people of a wild and savage
nature, to entrap and ensnare whom would be his duty, and he felt
that he had the requisite courage. Moreover, there was a certain
cunning and prudence necessary, and in that also he, with some truth,
fancied himself not deficient; and as Mr. Keegan's scheme opened upon
him, the idea of entr