friend, the Honourable
Sackville Scatterbrain, from the conviction that there is a necessity
in this county----"

"'Faith, there is plenty of necessity," said the tormentor in the
crowd.

"Take that man out," said the sheriff.

"Don't hurry yourself, sir," returned the delinquent, amidst the
laughter of "the boys," in proportion to whose merriment rose O'Grady's
ill-humour.

"I say there is a necessity for a vigorous member to represent this
county in parliament, and support the laws, the constitution, the
crown, and the--the--interests of the county!"

"Who made the new road?" was a question that now arose from the
crowd--a laugh followed--and some groans at this allusion to a bit of
jobbing on the part of O'Grady, who got a grand jury presentment to
make a road which served nobody's interest but his own.

"The frequent interruptions I meet here from the lawless and
disaffected show too plainly that we stand in need of men who will
support the arm of the law in purging the country."

"Who killed the 'pothecary?" said a fellow, in a voice so deep as
seemed fit only to issue from the jaws of death.

The question, and the extraordinary voice in which it was uttered,
produced one of those roars of laughter which sometimes shake public
meetings in Ireland; and O'Grady grew furious.

"If I knew who that gentleman was, I'd pay him!" said he.

"You'd better pay _them you know_," was the answer; and this
allusion to O'Grady's notorious character of a bad payer, was relished
by the crowd, and again raised the laugh against him.

"Sir," said O'Grady, addressing the sheriff, "I hold this ruffianism in
contempt. I treat it, and the authors of it, those who no doubt have
instructed them, with contempt." He looked over to where Egan and his
friends stood, as he spoke of the crowd having had instruction to
interrupt him.

"If you mean, sir," said Egan, "that I have given any such instructions,
I deny, in the most unqualified terms, the truth of such an assertion."

"Keep yourself cool, Ned," said Dick Dawson, close to his ear.

"Never fear me," said Egan; "but I won't let him bully."

The two former friends now exchanged rather fierce looks at each other.

"Then why am I interrupted?" asked O'Grady.

"It is no business of mine to answer that," replied Egan; "but I repeat
the unqualified denial of your assertion."

The crowd ceased its noise when the two Squires were seen engaged in
exchanging smart words, in the