n, who seemed to be a
sort of master of the ceremonies on the occasion.

"What's the delay?" asked O'Hara.

"Why, the chief murners is not arrived yit."

"What murners are you talkin' about, man?" said the other.

"Why, you know, at a grand berrin' they have always thief murners, and
there's a pair that I ordhered to be brought here for that same."

"Myself doesn't know anything about murners," said O'Hara, "for I never
seen anything finer than the keeners[6] at a berrin'; but Larry's up to
the ways of the quolity, as well as of his own sort."

"But you wouldn't have keeners for the Tithe, would you? Sure, the
keeners is to say all the good they can of the departed, and more if
they can invint it; but, sure, the divil a good thing at all they could
say of the Tithe, barrin' it was lies they wor tellin', and so it would
only be throwin' away throuble."

"Thrue for you, Lanigan."

"Besides, it is like a grand berrin' belongin' to the quol'ty to have
chief murners, and you know the Tithe was aiqual to a lord or a king
a'most for power."

In a short time the "murners," as Larry called them, arrived in custody
of half a dozen of Larry's chosen companions, to whom he had entrusted
the execution of the mission. These chief mourners were two tithe
proctors, who had been taken forcibly from their homes by the Lanigan
party, and threatened with death unless they attended the summons of
Larry to be present at "The Berrin'."

Their presence was hailed with a great shout, and the poor devils
looked excessively frightened; but they were assured by O'Hara they had
nothing to fear.

"I depend an you, Mr. O'Hara, for seeing us safe out of their hands,"
said one of them, for the other was dumb from terror.

"So you may," was the answer O'Hara returned. "Hurt nor harm shall not
be put an you; I give you my word o' that."

"Divil a harm," said Larry. "We'll only put you into a shoot o'
clothes that is ready for you, and you may look as melancholy as you
plaze, for it is murners you are to be. Well, Honor," said he,
addressing O'Hara's daughter, "have you got the mithres and vestments
ready, as I towld you?"

"Yes," said Honor; "here comes Biddy Mulligan with them from the house,
for Biddy herself helped me to make them."

"And who had a betther right?" said Larry, "when it was herself that
laid it all out complate, the whole thing from the beginnin', and sure
enough but it was a bright thought of her. Faix, he'll b