ith a celerity which his former attitude would
not have allowed one to believe possible.

"My poor boy!" said the kindly priest; "who has misused you?" and he
put his two hands on the sore head.

"About two miles from here," said Paddy, "I was set on by a score of
men--"

"There was only nine of them," interrupted Jem, "count the saddles."

"They came on me so sudden and unexpected that I was off my horse
before I knew there was a man within reach. They had me down before I
could say my prayers, and cudgelled me sorely, tearing my clothes, and
they took away the packet of papers you gave me, sir. Sure I tried to
guard it with my life, an' they nearly took both."

"I am certain you did your best, Paddy," said I; "and it's sorry I am
to see you injured."

"Then they rode away, leaving me, sore wounded, sitting on the side of
the road," continued Paddy. "After a while I come to myself, for I
seemed dazed; and, my horse peacefully grazing beside me, I managed to
get on its back, and turned toward London in the hope of meeting you;
but instead of meeting you, sir, I came upon Jem with his pile of
saddles, and he bound up my head and did what he could to save me,
although I've a great thirst on me at this moment that's difficult to
deal with."

"There's a ditch by the side of the road," said the priest.

"Yes," said Paddy sadly; "I tried some of that."

I went to my pack on the horse and took out a bottle and a leather
cup. Paddy drank and smacked his lips with an ecstasy that gave us
hope for his ultimate recovery. Jem Bottles laughed, and to close his
mouth I gave him also some of the wine.

"I hope," said Father Donovan with indignation, "that the miscreant
who misused you will be caught and punished."

"I punished them," said Jem, drawing the back of his hand across his
mouth.

"We'll hear about it another time," said I, having my suspicions.

"Let the good man go on," begged Father Donovan, who is not without
human curiosity.

Jem needed no second bidding.

"Your Reverence," he said, "I was jogging quietly on as a decent man
should, when, coming to the edge of this forest, I saw approach me a
party of horsemen, who were very hilarious and laughed loudly. If you
look up and down the road and see how lonely it is, and then look at
the wood, with no hedge between it and the highway, you'll notice the
place was designed by Providence for such a meeting."

"Sure the public road is designed as a place for