revenge, or stolen them from cupidity. He had borne with such men,
expressing the severity of his judgment chiefly by the look of his
eyes; but he had never quarrelled with them violently. They had been
contemptible people whom it would be better to look at than to shoot.
But here were men coming, or were there now, prepared to fight with
him for his rights. And he would fight with them, even though hanging
should be the end of it.

"I will not interfere with them, unless they interfere with me."

"Have you a pistol with you, Daly?" said Persse.

"I have."

"Then give it me."

"Not so. If I want to use a pistol it will be better to have it in my
own pocket than in yours. If I do not want to use it I can keep it
myself, and no one will be the wiser."

"Listen to me, Daly."

"Well, Mr. Persse?"

"Do not call me 'Mr. Persse,' as though you were determined to
quarrel with me. It will be well that you should take advice in this
matter from those whom you have known all your life. There is Sir
Nicholas Bodkin--"

"He may be one of them for all that I can tell," said Daly.

"Lord Ardrahan is not one of them. And Sir Jasper Lynch, and Blake
of Letterkenny, they are all there, if you will speak to them. In
such a matter as this it is not worth your while to get into serious
trouble. To you and me hunting is a matter of much importance; but
the world at large will not regard it as one in which blood should be
shed. They will come prepared to make themselves disagreeable, but if
there be bloodshed it will simply be by your hands. And think what an
injury you would do to your side of the question, and what a benefit
to theirs!"

"How so?"

"We are regarded as the dominant party, as gentlemen who ought to do
what is right, and support the laws."

"If I am attacked may I not defend myself?"

"No; not by a pistol carried loaded into a hunting-field. You would
have all the world against you."

Then the two men rode on silently together. The hounds were drawing
the woods of Ballytowngal, but had not found, and were prepared to go
on to Moytubber. But, according to the Galway custom, Barney Smith
was waiting for orders from his master. Daly now sat stock still upon
his horse for awhile, looking at the dark fringe of trees by which
the park was surrounded. He was thinking, as well as he knew how to
think, of the position in which he was placed. To be driven to go
contrary to his fixed purpose by fear was a course into