nough to put herself in the way of such as you; but, by
G----d, as long as I'm with her, she shall have it!" and he dragged
her along by the arm.

"But, Thady," said the poor girl, afraid both of her brother and her
lover, and hardly knowing to which to address herself; "but, Thady,
you're hurting me, and I'll walk with you quiet enough. I was only
getting a little cool afther the dancing, and what's the great harm
in that?"

"Well--there," and he let her go, "I'm not hurting you now; it's very
tender you've got of a sudden, when I touch you. Captain Ussher, if
you'll plaze to go on, or stay behind, I'll be obliged, for I want to
spake to Feemy; and there's no occasion in life for my throubling you
to hear what I've to say."

"You can say what you like, Macdermot, but I shan't leave you; for
though Feemy's your sister, you're not fit to guide her, or yourself
either, for you're drunk."

"And there you lie, Captain Ussher! you lie--that's what you're used
to! but it's the last of your lies she'll hear."

"Ah! you're drunk," replied Ussher, "besides, you know I'd not notice
what you'd say before your sister; if, however, you're not so very
drunk as to forget what you've called me to-morrow morning, and would
then like to repeat it, I'll thrash you as you deserve."

"Then, by Jasus, you'll have your wish! you asked me to-night if
I had a mind to quarrel with you, and now I'll tell you, if I find
you at Ballycloran schaming agin, you'll find me ready and willing
enough."

"That's where you'll find me to-morrow morning then, for I'll
certainly come to ask your sister how she is, after the brutal manner
you've frightened her this night; and then perhaps you'll have the
goodness to tell me what you mean by what you call 'schaming.'"

"I'll tell you now, then; it's schaming to be coming with your lies
and your blarney afther a girl like Feemy, only maning to desave
her--it's schaming to go about humbugging a poor silly owld man like
my father,--and it's the higth of schaming and blackguardness to
pretend to be so frindly to a family, when you know you're maning
them all the harum in your power to do. But you'll find, my fine
Captain, it an't quite so asy to play your thricks at Ballycloran as
you think, though we are so poor."

Feemy, when the young men had begun to use hard words to one another,
had commenced crying, and was now sobbing away at a desperate rate.

"Don't distress yourself, Feemy," said Ussher, "you