my desk. The court-house must be protected,
you know, and I just want to run up-stairs for the Riot Act; I'll be
down again in a moment. Captain, do oblige me--draw your men a _leetle_
closer round the court-house."

"I'm in a better position here, sir," said the captain.

"I thought you were under my command, sir," said the sheriff.

"Under your command to fire, sir, but the choice of position rests with
me; and we are stronger where we are; the court-house is completely
covered, and while my men are under arms here, you may rely on it the
crowd is completely in check without firing a shot."

Off ran the sheriff to the court-house.

"You're saving of your gunpowder, I see, sir," said O'Grady to the
captain, with a sardonic grin.

"You seem to be equally sparing of your humanity, sir," returned the
captain.

"God forbid I should be afraid of a pack of ruffians," said O'Grady.

"Or I of a single one," returned the captain, with a look of stern
contempt.

There is no knowing what this bitter bandying of hard words might have
led to, had it not been interrupted by the appearance of the sheriff at
one of the windows of the court-house; there, with the Riot Act in his
hand, he called out:--

"Now I've read it--fire away, boys--fire away!" and all his compunction
about the effusion of blood vanished the moment his own miserable
carcass was safe from harm. Again he waved the Riot Act from the window,
and vociferated, "Fire away, boys!" as loud as his frog-like voice
permitted.

"Now, sir, you're ordered to fire," said O'Grady to the captain.

"I'll not obey that order, sir," said the captain; "the man is out of
his senses with fear, and I'll not obey such a serious command from a
madman."

"Do you dare disobey the orders of the sheriff, sir?" thundered
O'Grady.

"I am responsible for my act, sir," said the captain--"seriously
responsible; but I will not slaughter unarmed people until I see
further and fitter cause."

The sheriff had vanished--he was nowhere to be seen--and O'Grady as a
magistrate had now the command. Seeing the cool and courageous man he
had to deal with in the military chief, he determined to push matters
to such an extremity that he should be forced, in self-defence, to
fire. With this object in view he ordered a fresh advance of the police
upon the people, and in this third affair matters assumed a more
serious aspect; sticks and stones were used with more effect, and the
two parties be