saw that his object had been gained; he suspected that no warm
feelings of friendship existed in his master towards the aforesaid
Captain, and he was determined there should be none if he could help
it. He was not wrong in his surmises; for, from the constant visits
of Myles Ussher to Ballycloran, people had for some time been saying
that he meant to marry Feemy. They now began to say that he ought to
do so.

While her brother and his minister are discussing that subject, and
others--settling who could pay, or who should pay, at the convocation
of the tenants to be held on the coming Friday, and who couldn't, and
who should be ejected, and who not--we will obtain a little insight
into Captain Ussher's affairs, and account for the residence of so
gallant a gentleman in the little town of Mohill.

CHAPTER IV.

MYLES USSHER.

Every one knows that Ireland, for her sins, maintains two distinct,
regularly organised bodies of police; the duties of the one being to
prevent the distillation of potheen or illicit whiskey, those of the
other to check the riots created by its consumption. These forces,
for they are in fact military forces, have each their officers,
sub-officers, and privates, as the army has; their dress, full
dress, and half dress; their arms, field arms, and house arms;
their barracks, stations, and military regulations; their captains,
colonels, and commander-in-chief, but called by other names; and, in
fact, each body is a regularly disciplined force, only differing from
the standing army by being carried on in a more expensive manner.

The first of these--that for preventing the distillation of potheen,
commonly called the revenue police--was, at the time of our story,
honoured by the services of Myles Ussher. He held the office of one
of the sub-inspectors in the county of Leitrim, and he resided in the
town of Mohill; he had a body of about five-and-twenty men under him,
with a sergeant; and his duty was, as I have before said, to prevent
the distillation of potheen. This was only to be done by seizing
it when made, or in the process of making; and, as a considerable
portion of the fine levied in all cases possible from the dealers
in the trade, became the perquisite of the sub-inspector or officer
effecting the seizure, the situation in a wild lawless district was
one of considerable emolument; consequently gentlemen of repute and
good family were glad to get their sons into the service, and a