--a head-centre, or leader, with a
large sum on his head--has, they say, got away; but the hope of finding
some papers, some clue to him here, will certainly lead them to search the
castle, and I thought I'd come over and apprise you of it at all events,
lest the surprise should prove too much for your temper.'

'Do they forget I'm in the commission of the peace?' said Kearney, in a
voice trembling with passion.

'You know far better than me how far party spirit tempers life in this
country, and are better able to say whether some private intention to
insult is couched under this attempt.'

'That's true,' cried the old man, ever ready to regard himself as the
object of some secret malevolence. 'You cannot remember this rebel's name,
can you?'

'It was Daniel something--that's all I know.'

A long, fine whistle was Kearney's rejoinder, and after a second or two he
said, 'I can trust you, Gorman; and I may tell you they may be not so great
fools as I took them for. Not that I was harbouring the fellow, mind you;
but there came a college friend of Dick's here a few days back--a clever
fellow he was, and knew Ireland well--and we called him Mr. Daniel, and it
was but yesterday he left us and did not return. I have a notion now he was
the head-centre they're looking for.'

'Do you know if he has left any baggage or papers behind him?'

'I know nothing about this whatever, nor do I know how far Dick was in his
secret.'

'You will be cool and collected, I am sure, sir, when they come here with
the search-warrant. You'll not give them even the passing triumph of seeing
that you are annoyed or offended?'

'That I will, my lad. I'm prepared now, and I'll take them as easy as if
it was a morning call. Come in and have your breakfast with us, and say
nothing about what we've been talking over.'

'Many thanks, sir, but I think--indeed I feel sure--I ought to go back at
once. I have come here without my aunt's knowledge, and now that I have
seen you and put you on your guard, I ought to go back as fast as I can.'

'So you shall, when you feed your beast and take something yourself. Poor
old Kattoo isn't used to this sort of cross-country work, and she's panting
there badly enough. That mare is twenty-one years of age.'

'She's fresh on her legs--not a curb nor a spavin, nor even a wind-gall
about her,' said the young man.

'And the reward for it all is to be ridden like a steeplechaser!' sighed
old Kearney. 'Isn't that