red this mock lament on his
misfortunes occasioned another outbreak of the mob, who were threatened
with expulsion from the court if any future interruption took place.

"You were, then, a member of every illegal society of the time, Mr.
Darby?" said the lawyer, returning to the examination. "Is it not so?"

"Most of them, anyhow," was the cool reply.

"You took an active part in the doings of the year '98 also?"

"Throth I did,--mighty active. I walked from beyant Castlecomer one day
to Dublin to see a trial here. Be the same token, it was Mr. Curran made
a hare of yer honor that day. Begorrah I wonder ye ever held up yer head
after."

Here a burst of laughter at the recollection seemed to escape Darby
so naturally, that its contagious effects were felt throughout the
assembly.

"You are a wit, Mr. M'Keown, I fancy, eh?"

"Bedad I 'm not, sir; very little of that same would have kept out of
this to-day."

"But you came here to serve a friend,--a very old friend, he calls you."

"Does he?" said Darby, with an energy of tone and manner very different
from what he had hitherto used. "Does Master Tom say that?"

As the poor fellow's cheek flushed, and his eyes sparkled with proud
emotion, I could perceive that the lawyer's face underwent a change
equally rapid. A look of triumph at having at length discovered the
assailable point of the witness's temperament now passed over his pale
features, and gave them an expression of astonishing intelligence.

"A very natural thing it is, Darby, that he should call you so. You were
companions at an early period,--at least of his life; fellow-travellers,
too, if I don't mistake?"

Although these words were spoken in a tone of careless freedom, and
intended to encourage Darby to some expansion on the same theme, the
cunning fellow had recovered all his habitual self-possession, and
merely answered, if answer it could be called,--

"I was a poor man, sir, and lived by the pipes."

The advocate and the witness exchanged looks at this moment, in which
their relative positions were palpably conveyed. Each seemed to say it
was a drawn battle; but the lawyer returned with vigor to the charge;
desiring Darby to mention the manner in which our first acquaintance
began, and how the intimacy was originally formed.

He narrated with clearness and accuracy every step of our early
wanderings; and while never misstating a single fact, contrived
to exhibit my career as totally devoi