ang
Mr. Lax. Therefore the trial was postponed;--not, indeed, with
outspoken reference as to the new measure, but with much confidence
in its resources.

It would be useless here to refer to that Bill which was to have
been passed for trying certain prisoners in Ireland without the
intervention of a jury, and of the alteration which took place in
it empowering the Government to alter the venue, and to submit such
cases to a selected judge, to selected juries, to selected counties.
The Irish judges had remonstrated against the first measure, and the
second was to be first tried, so that should it fail the judges might
yet be called upon to act.

Such was the law under which criminals were tried in 1882, and the
first capital convictions were made under which the country began to
breathe freely. But the tidings of the law had got abroad beforehand,
and gave a hope of triumph to such men as Captain Clayton. Let a man
undertake what duty he will in life, if he be a good man he will
desire success; and if he be a brave man he will long for victory.
The presence of such a man as Lax in the country was an eyesore to
Captain Clayton, which it was his primary duty to remove. And it was
a triumph to him now that the time had come in which he might remove
him. Three times had Mr. Lax fired at the Captain's head, and three
times had the Captain escaped. "I think he has done with his guns and
his pistols now," said Captain Clayton, in his triumph.

CHAPTER XL.

YORKE CLAYTON AGAIN MAKES LOVE.

"I am not quite sure about Peter yet," said Clayton to Mr. Jones.
"But if we could look into his very soul I am afraid he could not do
much for us."

"I never believed in Peter as a witness," replied Mr. Jones.

"I should like to know exactly what he did see;--whether it was a
limb or a bit of his coat. But I think that young lady crept out and
saw him cleaning his pistol. And I think that the old lady had a
glimpse of the mask. I think that they can be made to say so."

"I saw the mask myself, and the muzzle of the rifle;--and I saw the
man running as plainly as I see you."

"That will all be wanted, Mr. Jones. But I trust that we may have to
summon you to Dublin. As things are at present, if Lax had been seen
in broad daylight firing at the poor boy by a dozen farmers it would
do no good in County Galway. There is Miss Edith out there. She is
awfully anxious about this wretch who destroyed her brother. I will
go and tell