began to feel disgusted with such sickening alternations of swaggering authority, and base, calculating policy.  Many of them, consequently, were heartily tired of their officers, and had already begun to think of withdrawing altogether from the corps, unless there were some change for the better made in it.  Now, at this precise state of feeling, with regard to both circumstances, had Sharpe arrived, when he met his lieutenant on the day when that gallant gentleman signalized himself by horsewhipping his grandmother.  Phil’s threat had determined him to return to the Dashers, but, on hearing a day or two afterwards, that Hartley was about to raise a new corps, composed of well-conducted and orderly men, he resolved not only to offer himself to that gentleman, but to induce all who were moderate among the “hounds,” and, indeed, they were not many, to accompany him.  This alarmed M’Clutchy very much, because on Lord Cumber’s arrival to canvass the county, it would look as if his Lordship’s interests had been neglected; and he feared, too, that the withdrawing of the men from his corps might lead to investigations which were strongly to be deprecated.  After a day or two’s inquiries, therefore, and finding that from eighteen to twenty of his youngest and most respectable yeomanry had not only returned him their arms and appointments, but actually held themselves ready to be enrolled in the Annagh Corps—­for so Hartley’s was termed—­he sat down and wrote the following letter to Lord Cumber:—­

“Constitution Cottage, June—­

“My Lord: 

“Circumstances affecting your Lordship’s personal and political interests have recently occurred here, and are even now occurring, which render it my painful duty to communicate with you on the subject without loss of time.  I am sorry to say that the conduct of Mr. Hartley, your well known opponent for the county, is not that which becomes a high-minded man.  The Cavalry Corps of which your Lordship is Colonel, and which, by the way, has rendered good service in the firm discharge of their duty, has been very much damaged by the extraordinary conduct which that gentleman is pursuing.  The fact is, that he has taken it into his head, aided and assisted of course by his friends and political supporters, to raise a corps of Yeomanry Cavalry as it were, in opposition to ours; and this, no doubt, he has a right to do; although I am quite certain, at the same time, that it is done with a view to secure either the support, or at least the neutrality of government; which neutrality would, as your Lordship knows, be a heavy blow to us.  However, as I said, he has as good a right as we have to raise his corps; but I do not think he is justified in writing private circulars, or in tampering with the men of our corps, many of whom he has already seduced from their duty, and lured over with honeyed words and large promises to the body he is raising.  The fact is, my Lord, if our men were not so devotedly attached to my son and myself