est between Jemmy
Branigan and the pedlar; the coroner was beginning to recover, and
Charley Hanlon's aunt had disappeared altogether from the neighborhood.
Previous to her departure, however, she, her nephew, and the pedlar, had
several close, and apparently interesting conferences, into which their
parish priest, the Rev. Anthony Devlin, was ultimately admitted. It
was clear, indeed, that whatever secret the pedlar communicated, had
inspired both Hanlon and his aunt with fresh energy in their attempts to
discover the murderer of their relative; and there could be little doubt
that the woman's disappearance from the scene of its perpetration was in
some way connected with the steps they were taking to bring everything
connected with it to light.

Travers, already acquainted with the committal of old Dalton, as he was
with all the circumstances of his decline and eviction from his farm,
was sitting in his office, about twelve o'clock, when our friend, the
pedlar, bearing a folded paper in his hand, presented himself, with a
request that he might be favored with a private interview. This, without
any difficulty, was granted, and the following dialogue took place
between them:--

"Well, my good friend," said the agent; "what is the nature of this
private business of yours?"

"Why, plase your honor, it's a petition in favor of ould Condy Dalton."

"A petition! Of what use is a petition to Dalton? Is he not now in gaol,
on a charge of murder? You would not have me attempt to obstruct the
course of justice, would you? The man will get a fair trial, I hope."

"I hope so, your honor; but this petition is not about the crime the
unfortunate man is in for; it's an humble prayer to your honor, hopin'
you might restore him--or, I ought rather to say, his poor family, to
the farm that they wor so cruelly put out of. Will your honor read it,
sir, and look into it, bekaise, at any rate, it sets forth too common a
case."

"I am partly acquainted with the circumstances, already; however, let me
see the paper."

"The pedlar placed it in Mr. Travers' hands,--who on looking over it,
read, somewhat to his astonishment, as follows:--

"The humble petition of Cornelius Dalton, to his Honor, Mr. John Robert
Travers, Esq., on behalf of himself, his Wife, and his afflicted family;
now lying in a state of almost superhuman Destitution--by Eugenius
M'Grane, Philomath and classical Instructor in the learned Languages
of Latin, English, a