nd plans on his hands--other fish to fry--other irons in
the fire. Masther Richard, sirra, doesn't care a curse if I was under
the sod to-morrow, but would be glad of it; neither does, any one about
me--but he did; and you infernal crew, you have driven him away from
me."

"We, your honor?"

"Yes, all of you; you put me first out of temper by your neglect and
your extravagance; then I vented it on him, because he was the only
one among you I took any pleasure in abusin'--speaking to. However,
my mind's made up--I'll call an auction--sell everything--and live in
Dublin as well as I can. What does that black hound want?"

"Some law business, sir; but I donna what it is."

"Is the scoundrel honest, or a rogue?"

"Throth it's more than I'm able to tell your honor, sir. I don't know
much about him. Some spakes well, and some spakes ill of him--just like
his neighbors--ahem!"

"Ay, an' that's all you can say of him? but if he was here, I could soon
ascertain what stuff he's made of, and what kind of a hearing he ought
to get. However, it doesn't matter now--I'll auction everything--in this
grange I won't live; and to be sure but I was a precious-old scoundrel
to quarrel with the best servant a man ever had."

Just at this moment, who should come round from a back passage, carrying
a small bundle in his hand, but the object of all his solicitude. He
approached quietly on tiptoe, with a look in which might be read a most
startling and ludicrous expression of anxiety and repentance.

"How is he?" said he--"how is his poor leg? Oh, thin, blessed saints,
but I was the double distilled villain of the airth to leave him as I
did to the crew that was about him! The best masther that ever an ould
vagabond like me was ongrateful to! How is he, Tom?"

"Why," replied the other, "if you take my advice, you'll keep from him
at all events. He's cursin' an' abusin' you ever since you went, and
won't allow one of us even to name you."

"Troth, an' it only shows his sense; for I desarved nothing else at his
hands. However, if what you say is true, I'm afeared he's not long for
this world, and that his talkin' sense at last is only the lightening
before death, poor gintleman! I can stay no longer from him, any how,
let him be as he may; an' God pardon me for my ongratitude in desartin'
him like a villain as I did."

He then walked into the parlor; and as the prophet was beckoned as far
as the hall, he had an opportunity of witnessi