atter, and a private, quietly dismounted,
produced a pair of handcuffs, and before Mr. Regan had recovered from
his surprise, a sharp click was heard, and he was a prisoner, both
wrists being confined by a pair of stout steel bracelets.

"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Mr. Regan, with a show of
indignation. "I'm a subject of the queen, and a free-born Irishman, and
it's kings me ancestors were six hundred years ago. It's little they
thought that one of the blood of the Regans would be used in this way."

The inspector paid no attention to his words, but occupied himself with
receiving money from a number of miners who were disposed to pay their
taxes without a murmur, and didn't wish the bother of a dispute.

"Move on," said Mr. Brown, at length, and the cavalcade started with Pat
Regan in the centre.

"Mr. Brown--inspector dear--O darling, listen to me for a moment," cried
out our Irish friend.

"Well, what is wanting?" inquired our chief, halting.

"And what is ye taking me off for?" asked Regan, indignantly.

"For non-payment of taxes."

"And who refused to pay taxes?--tell me that, Mr. Brown."

"You declined paying; so of course you will have to devote the next
three days to work on the road. Move on."

"Hold a minute, Mr. Brown, for here's the money; but it's little good it
will do ye, mind what I say, for to-night I shall write to my friend the
governor-general, and relate the circumstance of this arrest, and me
money will be sent back with many an apology, let me tell ye. It's a
relation I am of the governor's, his wife being a Regan on the side of
me grandfather; and it's many a time I've talked with her ladyship when
we went to school together in the county of Cork."

This speech was also received with shouts of laughter by those
assembled, and even while Pat was paying over his dust he continued to
grumble and threaten; and when we got clear of him he bade us adieu with
a mocking smile, perfectly satisfied to think that he had delayed us all
that he was able to, and that if he did ultimately have to pay over the
money, he afforded sport enough for his companions to last a week.

"Is that a sample of the difficulties that you have to encounter?" I
asked of the inspector, as we left a portion of the Irish district
behind us, and approached another quarter, where the inhabitants did not
appear to be doing so well in their operations.

"If we never encountered worse cases than that I should b