he was not going willingly with
Ussher; she had then fainted, and Ussher was dragging her, apparently
with violence, along the road.

When it was found in the inquest room that Feemy Macdermot could not
possibly attend again, the coroner gave the jury the substance of the
evidence on the case. He pointed out to them that though there could
be no doubt that young Macdermot was the man by whom Captain Ussher
had been killed, still if they thought there was sufficient ground
for them to believe that Ussher was ill-treating his sister, and that
the brother had interfered on her behalf, they should not come to the
decision that murder had been committed.

The jury, after consulting for a short time, brought in a verdict
of wilful murder against Thaddeus Macdermot; and, accordingly, a
coroner's warrant was issued for his apprehension and trial, and
was handed over to the police, that they might lose no time in
endeavouring to take him prisoner.

CHAPTER XXII.

THE ESCAPE.

Thady left the house immediately after the last cruel speech his
father made to him, with the tears running fast down his face. He
leapt down the steps, hurried across the lawn, through the little
shrubbery, and over the wall into the road. He did not dare to go
alone down the avenue, and by the spot where Ussher's body had lain,
and where the ground would still be moist with his blood.

His father's words still rang dreadfully in his ears--"Murdered! of
course they'll call it murder! of course they'll be sure to hang
you!" And then he thought of all the bearings of the case, and it
seemed to him that his father must be right; that there could be
no doubt but that all men would call it by that horrid name which
sounded so hideously in his ears. If that which he had done was not
murder, what manner in which one man could kill another would be
thought so? It was now evident to him that Feemy had been with Ussher
willingly--that she was there of her own consent and by appointment;
and merely because she had fainted in his arms, he had struck him
down and killed him. Of course his father was right; of course they
would call it murder. And then again, even if he could justify the
deed to himself--even if he could make himself believe that the man
was at the time using violence to his sister--how could he get that
proved? whereas proofs of her having consented to go off with him
would no doubt not be wanting. And then again, Thady remembered--and