Every moment I expected that
it would yield to the violence which was made use of, when the mother
came down half-dressed, with a light in her hand, hastened to me, and
desired me to follow her. I did so, and before she left my room, she
threw the window wide open. She led me up a sort of half-stairs,
half-ladder, to a small room, where I found Kathleen sitting up in her
bed, and half-dressed. "O mother! mother!" cried Kathleen.

"I bid ye do it, child," replied the mother, desiring me to creep into
her daughter's bed, and cover myself up on the side next the wall.

"Let me put on more clothes, mother."

"No, no, if you do, they will suspect, and will not hesitate to search.
Your mother bids you."

The poor girl was burning with shame and confusion.

"Nay," replied I, "if Kathleen does not wish it, I will not buy my
safety at the expense of her feelings."

"Yes, yes," replied Kathleen, "I don't mind now; those words of yours
are sufficient. Come in, quick."

PART TWO, CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

PETTICOAT INTEREST PREVAILS, AND I ESCAPE; BUT I PUT MY HEAD INTO THE
LION'S DEN.

There was no time for apology, and stepping over Kathleen, I buried
myself under the clothes by her side. The mother then hastened down
stairs, and arrived at the door just as they had succeeded in forcing it
open, when in pounced a dozen men armed, with their faces blackened.

"Holy Jesus! what is it that you want?" screamed the landlady.

"The blood of the tithe proctor, and that's what we'll have," replied
the O'Tooles.

"Not in my house--not in my house!" cried she. "Take him away, at all
events; promise me to take him away."

"So we will, honey darlint; we'll take him out of your sight, and out of
your hearing, too, only show us where he may be."

"He's sleeping," replied the mother, pointing to the door of the
bed-room, where I had been lying down.

The party took the light from her hand, and went into the room, where
they perceived the bed empty and the window open. "Devil a bit of a
proctor here anyhow," cried one of them, "and the window open. He's
off--hurrah! my lads, he can't be far."

"By the powers! it's just my opinion, Mrs McShane," replied the elder
O'Toole, "that he's not quite so far off; so with your lave, or by your
lave, or without your lave, we'll just have a look over the premises."

"O! and welcome, Mister Jerry O'Toole: if you think I'm the woman to
hide a proctor, look everywhere just as you p