g to stare at us, and that
young woman has stopped gartering her stocking for the last two minutes in
sheer curiosity about us.'

[Illustration: 'Just look at the crowd that is watching us already']

Kearney laughed heartily as he nodded assent.

'You follow me, don't you?' asked Flood. 'Well, then, grant me the favour
I'm about to ask, and it will show me that you see all these things as
I do. This row may turn out more seriously than we thought for. That
scoundrel Gill is in a high fever to-day--I would not say that just out of
spite the fellow would not die. Who knows if it may not become a great case
at the assizes; and if so, Kearney, let us have public opinion with us.
There are scores of men who will wait to hear what you and I say of this
business. There are hundreds more who will expect us to disagree. Let
us prove to them that this is no feud between Orange and Green, this is
nothing of dispute between Whig and Tory, or Protestant and Papist; but
a free fight, where, more shame to them, fifty fell upon one. Now what
you must grant me is leave to send this boy back to Kilgobbin in my own
carriage, and with my own liveries. There is not a peasant cutting turf
on the bog will not reason out his own conclusions when he sees it. Don't
refuse me, for I have set my heart on it.'

'I'm not thinking of refusing. I was only wondering to myself what my
daughter Kitty will say when she sees me sitting behind the blue and orange
liveries.'

'You may send me back with the green flag over me the next day I dine with
you,' cried Flood, and the compact was ratified.

'It is more than half-past already,' said Flood. 'We are to have a full
bench at three; so be ready to give your bail, and I'll have the carriage
at the corner of the street, and you shall set off with the boy at once.'

'I must say,' said Kearney, 'whatever be your Tory faults, lukewarmness is
not one of them! You stand to me like an old friend in all this trouble.'

'Maybe it's time to begin to forget old grudges. Kearney, I believe in my
heart neither of us is as bad as the other thinks him. Are you aware that
they are getting affidavits to refuse the bail?'

'I know it all; but I have sent a man to McEvoy about a case that will take
all his morning; and he'll be too late with his affidavits.'

'By the time he is ready, you and your charge will be snug in Kilgobbin;
and another thing, Kearney--for I have thought of the whole matter--you'll
take out wi