, for the
murder of Ussher.

Early on the morning of the inquest, he went into Carrick, and there
learnt from the police the truth, and ascertained the fact that an
inquest was held on the body that day, and that both old Macdermot
and his daughter were to be examined at it.

Up to this time Father John did not know that Feemy had left Drumsna;
and though the police informed him that she had been absolutely
present when the fatal blow was struck, he could not believe it, and
hurried off to Mrs. McKeon's, to tell her all that he knew, and learn
from her all that she could tell him.

The kind-hearted man hardly knew what he was doing, so shocked was
he, and surprised by what he had heard. He could hardly believe that
after what Thady had said to him, after the promises he had made, he
would deliberately, and with premeditation, plan and execute Ussher's
murder. Such an idea was incompatible with the knowledge that he had
of Thady's disposition, and he concluded that there must have been
some quarrel between the two men, in which Ussher had fallen the
victim. He little dreamt when he started for Mrs. McKeon's, how much
more justly the blood which had been shed was to be attributed to the
sister than to the brother, or he would hardly dared again to solicit
her kind offices for his _protegee_.

When he got to Drumsna, the McKeons were only just rising from
breakfast, but Father John saw, on entering the room, from their
grave and anxious faces, that they had all heard the news. Tony had
been out to his fields before breakfast, and had there been told by
one of the men that Ussher's body had on the previous night been
taken through Drumsna to the police station at Carrick, and that it
was said that Thady Macdermot, the murderer, had already escaped out
of the country.

This tale Tony had communicated in a whisper to his wife, and she had
afterwards told the girls. What was the good of keeping it secret?
before the evening it would be known to the whole country. When
Father John came in, they all crowded round him, to learn what really
might be relied on as the truth of the case; but he could only tell
them that it was too sure that Ussher had died by Thady's hand,--that
that young man was not in custody,--and that he had been informed
that Feemy herself was present when the blow had been struck.

"Feemy and their poor father," added Father John, "are to be examined
to-day before the Coroner; it will be a dreadful thi