longer." Whereupon
the captain, seeing that in very truth he was not wanted, did take
himself off, casting as he went one farewell look on Aby as he lay
groaning on the turf on the far side of the tuft of bushes.

"He's kilt intirely, I'm thinking, yer honor," said Thady, who was
standing over him on the other side.

"He'll come to life again before dinner-time," said the Captain.

"Oh, in course he'll do that, yer honor," said Thady; and then added
sotto voce, to himself, as the captain rode down the avenue, "Faix,
an' I don't know about that. Shure an' it's the masther has a heavy
hand." And then Thady stood for a while perplexed, endeavouring to
reanimate Aby by a sight of the pound note which he held out visibly
between his thumb and fingers.

And now Mr. Prendergast and Owen were again alone. "And what am I to
do?" said Owen, after a pause of a minute or two; and he asked the
question with a serious solemn voice.

"Just for the present--for the next day or two--I think that you
should do nothing. As soon as the first agony of this time is over
at Castle Richmond, I think that Herbert should see you. It would
be very desirable that he and you should take in concert such
proceedings as will certainly become necessary. The absolute proof of
the truth of this story must be obtained. You understand, I hope, Mr.
Fitzgerald, that the case still admits of doubt."

Owen nodded his head impatiently, as though it were needless on the
part of Mr. Prendergast to insist upon this. He did not wish to take
it for true a moment sooner than was necessary.

"It is my duty to give you this caution. Many lawyers--I presume you
know that I am a lawyer--"

"I did not know it," said Owen; "but it makes no difference."

"Thank you; that's very kind," said Mr. Prendergast; but the sarcasm
was altogether lost upon his hearer. "Some lawyers, as I was saying,
would in such a case have advised their clients to keep all their
suspicions, nay all their knowledge, to themselves. Why play the game
of an adversary? they would ask. But I have thought it better that we
should have no adversary."

"And you will have none," said Owen; "none in me at least."

"I am much gratified in so perceiving, and in having such evidence
that my advice has not been indiscreet. It occurred to me that if
you received the first intimation of these circumstances from other
sources, you would be bound on your own behalf to employ an agent to
look after your