unding young Dick upon
that subject, in an early stage of the business, he had ascertained
that the proposal of anything bordering upon outrage or force, would
instantly cause him to withdraw from the project altogether. For this
reason, then, he found it necessary, if possible to embark Sarah as an
accomplice, otherwise, he could not effect his design without violence,
and he felt that her co-operation was required to sustain the falsehood
of his assertions to Henderson with regard to Mave's consent to: place
herself under his protection. This was to be brought about so as to
hoodwink Henderson, in the following manner: The Prophet proposed that
Sarah should, by his own or her ingenuity, contrive to domicile herself
in Jerry Sullivan's house for a few days previous to the execution of
their design; not only for the purpose of using her influence, such as
it was, to sway the young creature's mind and principles from the path
of rectitude and virtue, by dwelling upon the luxury and grandeur of her
future life with Henderson, whose intentions were to be represented as
honorable, but, if necessary, to leave a free ingress to the house, so
as that under any circumstances, and even with a little violence,
Mave should be placed in Henderson's hands. Should the Prophet, by his
management, effect this, he was to receive a certain sum of money from
his employer the moment he or his party had her in their possession--for
such were the terms of the agreement--otherwise Donnel Dhu reserved to
himself the alternative of disclosing the matter to her friends, and
acquainting them with her situation. This, at all events, was readily
consented to by Henderson, whose natural vanity and extraordinary
opinion of his own merits in the eyes of the sex, prevented him
from apprehending any want of success with Mave, provided he had an
opportunity of bringing the influence of his person, and his wonderful
powers of persuasion, to bear upon such a simple country girl as he
considered her to be. So far, then, he had taken certain steps to secure
himself, whilst he left Henderson to run the risk of such contingencies
as might in all probability arise from the transaction.

This, however, was but an under-plot of the Prophet, whose object was
indeed far beyond that of becoming the paltry instrument of a rusty
intrigue. It was a custom with Dick o' the Grange, for a few years
previous to the date of our story, to sleep during the assizes, in the
hea