ve, and there they were pounced upon by the whole body-guard of
my lord the Earl, while himself and his quiet-mannered Countess were
there to urge them on. Doctor Chord, a little snobbish creature,
basking in the smiles of their noble countenances, stood by and gave
medical advice showing where best to hit the poor innocent
unfortunates that had fallen into their hands."

"Tut, tut!" said Josiah Brooks, his face frowning like a storm-cloud
over the hills of Donegal. "If such is indeed the case, an action
would lie--"

"Oh, well and as far as that goes, so would Doctor Chord, and all the
rest that was there. My poor lads lie now, bruised and sore, in the
upper rooms of the stable at the 'Pig and Turnip.' They want no more
action, I can tell you, nor lying either."

"You can prove, then," said the lawyer, "that you have suffered
violence from the outset."

"Indeed and I could."

"Well, well, we must look into the matter. You recite a most curious
accumulation of offences, each of which bears a serious penalty
according to the law of England. But there is another matter mentioned
in Lady Mary's letter which is even more grave than any yet alluded
to."

"And what is that?" I asked in surprise.

"She says that she wishes to have advanced to you, upon the security
of these papers, five hundred golden guineas."

"Do you tell me that now?" I cried with delight. "Sure I have always
said that Mary was the most sensible girl within the boundaries of
this realm."

"That may all be; but women, you see, know little of money or the
methods of obtaining it."

"You're right in that," I admitted. "It's the other end of the stick
they hold; they know a good deal of the way of spending it."

"You will understand," went on Mr. Brooks, "that if money is to be
raised on the security of these documents, your rights in possessing
them must be severely scrutinized, while--you will pardon my saying
so--the security of your estates in Ireland might be looked at askance
by the money-lenders of London."

"Oh, don't let the estates in Ireland trouble you, for the
money-lenders of Dublin have already mortgaged them a foot deep. You
can raise little on my estates in Ireland but the best turf you ever
burned, and that's raised with a spade."

"Very well," said Josiah Brooks, gathering up the papers and tying
them together with a bit of red ribbon which he took out of his
drawer, ignoring the Irish cord that had held them through all th