manner in which Father John had received the story, asked him if he
thought it was all a lie.

"Perhaps not all a lie," answered the priest; "perhaps he heard
something about Keegan--not very flattering to the attorney; no doubt
Thady was asking the boys about the rent, and threatening them with
Keegan as a receiver over the property, or something of that sort;
and very likely one of those boys from Drumleesh said something about
a bog-hole, which may be Thady didn't reprove as he ought to have
done. I've no doubt it all came about in that way,--but that fellow
with his tales and his stories, will get his ears cut off some of
these days, and serve him right. Why, he wanted yesterday, to make
me believe that these fellows who are to drown Keegan this morning,
were to shoot Ussher last night! He's just the fellow to do more harm
in the country than all the stills, if he were listened to.--Well,
Cullen, good day, I'm going into Mr. McKeon's here;"--and Cullen went
away quite satisfied with Father John's view of the affair.

Not so, Father John. For Thady's sake--to screen his character, and
because he did not think there was any immediate danger--he had
given the affair the turn which it had just taken; but he himself
feared--more than feared--felt sure that there was too much truth in
what the man had said. Thady's unusual intoxication last night--his
brutal conduct to his sister--to Ussher, and to himself--the men with
whom he had been drinking--his own knowledge of the feeling the young
man entertained towards Keegan, and the hatred the tenants felt for
the attorney--all these things conspired to convince Father John that
McGovery had too surely overheard a conversation, which, if repeated
to Keegan, might probably, considering how many had been present at
it, give him a desperate hold over young Macdermot, which he would
not fail to use, either by frightening him into measures destructive
to the property, or by proceeding criminally against him. Father
John was not only greatly grieved that such a meeting should have
been held, with reference to its immediate consequences, but he was
shocked that Thady should so far have forgotten himself and his
duty as to have attended it. But with the unceasing charity which
made the great beauty of Father John's character, he, in his heart,
instantly made allowances for him; he remembered all his distress and
misery--his want of friends--his grief for his sister--his continued