to carry into operation the iniquitious law they had passed; the arrest of O’Brien was to be the signal for insurrection; meanwhile, they were satisfied with organizing their forces for the fray, and preparing for offering an effective resistance to the execution of the warrant, whenever it should make its appearance.  It was therefore that when at Killenaule, a small party of dragoons rode up to the town they were suffered to proceed unmolested; at the first notice of their coming, the people rushed to the streets and hastily threw up a barricade to intercept them.  Dillon commanded at the barricade; beside him stood Patrick O’Donoghue, and a young man whose career as a revolutionist, was destined to extend far beyond the scenes in which he was then sharing; and whose name was one day to become first a terror to the government of England, and afterwards a by-word and a reproach amongst his countrymen.  O’Donoghue and Stephens were both armed, and when the officer commanding the dragoons rode up to the barricade and demanded a passage, Stephens promptly covered him with his rifle, when his attention was arrested by a command from Dillon to ground his arms.  The officer pledged his honour that he did not come with the object of arresting O’Brien; the barricade was taken down; and the dragoons passed scatheless through the town.  Another opportunity had been lost, and the hearts of the most resolute of O’Brien’s colleagues sunk lower than ever.

On Friday, O’Brien and his followers returned to Ballingarry, where they held a council on the prospects of the movement.  It was clear that the case was a desperate one, that the chance of successful resistance was inevitably lost, and that nothing now awaited them—­should they persist in their enterprise—­but ruin and death.  Only a couple of hundred men, wretchedly armed or not armed at all, adhered to their failing fortunes; and throughout the rest of the country the disaffected gave no sign.  But O’Brien was unmovable; he would do his duty by his country, let the country answer for its duty towards him.

The collision came at last.  On Saturday morning, July 29th, the constabulary of Thurles, Kilkenny, Cashel, and Callan received orders to march on the village of Ballingarry, for the purpose of arresting Smith O’Brien.  On the previous day the government had issued a proclamation, declaring him guilty of treasonable practices, by appearing in arms against the Queen, and offering a reward of L500 for his apprehension; on the same day, L300 was offered for the arrest of Meagher, Dillon, and Doheny.  Fired with the ambition of capturing the rebel party with his own forces, and winning for himself a deathless fame, Sub-Inspector Trant marched out in hot haste from Callan, at the head of forty-six policemen, and directed his steps towards Ballingarry, where it was known to him that O’Brien was still stopping.  Between twelve and one o’clock they arrived at Farrenrory, within three miles of the village of