Biddy under his
protection to her master's. As the way of many belonging to each lodge
lay in the same direction, they were accompanied, of course, to the turn
that led up to the Bodagh's house. Biddy, notwithstanding the severe
blow she had got, related the night's adventure with much humor,
dwelling upon her own part in the transaction with singular glee.

"There's some thraicherous villin in the Bodagh's," said she, "be it
man or woman; for what 'id you think but the hall-door was left lying to
only--neither locked nor boulted. But, indeed, anyhow, it's the start
was taken out o' me whin Ned M'Cormick--that _you_ wor to meet in our
kitchen, Alick--throth, I won't let _Kitty Lowry_ wait up for _you_ so
long another time." She added this to throw the onus of the assignation
off her own shoulders, and to lay it upon those of Alick and Kitty.
"But, anyhow, I had just time to throw her clothes upon me and get into
her bed. Be me sowl, but I acted the fright an' sickness in style. I
wasn't able to spake a word, you persave, till we got far enough from
the house to give Miss Oona time to hide herself. Oh, thin, the robbin'
villin how he put the muzzle of his gun to the lock of Miss Oona's desk,
when he couldn't get the key, an' blewn it to pieces, an' thin he took
every fardin' he could lay his hands upon."

She then detailed her own feelings during the abduction, in terms so
ludicrously abusive of Flanagan, that those who accompanied her were
exceedingly amused; for what she said was strongly provocative of mirth,
yet the chief cause of laughter lay in the vehement sincerity with which
she spoke, and in the utter unconsciousness of uttering anything that
was calculated to excite a smile. There is, however, a class of such
persons, whose power of provoking laughter consists in the utter
absence of humor. Those I speak of never laugh either at what they say
themselves, or what any one else may say; but they drive on right ahead
with an inverted originality that is perfectly irresistible.

We must now beg the reader to accompany them to the Bodagh's, where a
scene awaited them for which they were scarcely prepared. On approaching
the house they could perceive, by the light glittering from the window
chinks, that the family were in a state of alarm; but at this they
were not surprised; for such a commotion in the house, after what had
occurred, was but natural. They went directly to the kitchen door and
rapped.

"Who is th