ber that he's an only son, and that if you
lose him--"

"Lose him!--I can't--I couldn't--I'd die--die--dead--"

"And by so shameful a death," proceeded Cassidy, "you will not only be
childless, but you will have the bitter fact to reflect on that he died
in disgrace. You will blush to name him! What father would not make any
sacrifice to prevent his child from meeting such a fate? It's a trying
thing and a pitiable calamity to see a father ashamed to name the child
that he loves."

The old man arose, and, approaching Cassidy, said, eagerly, "How much
will do? Ashamed to name you, alanna, Ghierna--Ghierna--ashamed to name
you, Connor! Oh! if the world knew you, as thore, as well as I an' your
poor mother knows you, they'd say that we ought to be proud to hear your
name soundin' in our ears. How much will do? for, may God stringthen me,
I'll do it."

"I think about forty guineas; it may be more, and it may be less, but we
will say forty."

"Then I'll give you an ordher for it on a man that's a good mark. Give
me pin an' paper, fast."

"The paper was placed before him, and he held the pen in his hand for
some time, and, ere he wrote, turned a look of deep distress on Cassidy.

"God Almighty pity me!" said he; "you see--you see that I'm a poor
heart--broken creature--a ruined man I'll be--a ruined man!"

"Think of your son, and of his situation."

"It's before me--I know it is--to die like a dog behind a ditch wid
hunger!"

"Think of your son, I say, and, if possible, save him from a shameful
death."

"What! Ay--yis--yis--surely--surely--oh, my poor boy--my innocent boy--I
will--I will do it."

He then sat down, and, with a tremulous hand, and lips tightly drawn
together, wrote an order on P----, the county treasurer, for the money.

Cassidy, on seeing it, looked alternately at the paper and the man for a
considerable time.

"Is P----your banker?" he asked.

"Every penny that I'm worth he has."

"Then you're a ruined man," he replied, with cool emphasis. "P----
absconded the day before yesterday, and robbed half the county. Have you
no loose cash at home?"

"Robbed! who robbed?"

"Why, P----has robbed every man who was fool enough to trust him; he's
off to the Isle of Man, with the county funds in addition to the other
prog."

"You don't mane to say," replied Fardorougha, with a hideous calmness of
voice and manner; "you don't, you can't mane to say he has run off wid
my money?"

"I do; you'll n