il and there'll
be a hundred new followers the next day."

"We'll see," said Kingsnorth firmly. "Here is one district where the
law will be enforced. These meetings and their frequent bloodshed are a
disgrace to a civilised people."

"Ye may well say that, yer honour," replied Burke.

"Before I invest one penny to better the condition of the people I must
have their pledge to abandon such disgraceful methods of trying to
enlist sympathy. I'll begin with this man O'Connell. Have him brought
to me to-morrow. I'll manage this estate my own way or I'll wash my
hands of it. My father was often tempted to."

"He resisted the temptation though, sir."

"I'm sorry he did. That will do for to-day. Leave these statements.
I'll go over them again. It's hard to make head or tail of the whole
business. Be here tomorrow at ten. Bring that fellow O'Connell with
you. Also give me a list of some of the more intelligent and
trustworthy of the people and I'll sound them as to the prospects of
opening up work here. Drop them a hint that my interest is solely on
the understanding that this senseless agitation stops."

"I will, sir. To-morrow morning at ten," and Burke started for the door.

"Oh, and--Burke--I hope you are more discreet with my tenants than you
have been with me?"

"In what way, Mr. Kingsnorth?"

"I trust that you confine your sympathy with them to your FEELINGS and
not give expression to them in words."

"I can't say that I do, Mr. Kingsnorth."

"It would be wiser to in future, Mr. Burke."

"Well, ye see, sir, I'm a MAN first and an AGENT afterwards."

"Indeed?"

"Yes, sir. It's many's the ugly thing I've had to do for your father,
and if a kind word of mine hadn't gone with it, it's precious little of
the estate would be fit to look at to-day, Mr. Kingsnorth."

"And why not?"

"Do ye remember when Kilkee's Scotch steward evicted two hundred in one
day, sir?"

"I do not."

"Rade about it. It's very enlightenin'."

"What happened?"

"The poor wretched, evicted people burnt down every dwellin' and tree
on the place, sir."

"I would know how to handle such ruffians."

"That's what Kilkee thought. 'Tache them a lesson,' said he. 'Turn them
into the ditches!' And he DID. HE thought he KNEW how to handle them.
He woke up with a jump one mornin' when he found a letter from the
under-steward tellin' him his Scotch master was in the hospital with a
bullet in his spleen, and the beautiful house and ground