“Och, sure aren’t we all Protestant together, now?” replied Darby; “and sure, knowing that, where’s the use of carryin’ the matter too far?  Sure, blood alive, you wouldn’t have me betther than yourselves?  I hope I know my station, gintlemen.”

“Ah, Darby,” said Phil, “you’re a neat boy, I think.”

“What’s to be done?” asked Val; “their refusal to send their horses and cars must be owing to the influence of this priest Roche.”

“Of course it is,” replied the son; “I wish to God I had the hanging of him; but why did you send to those blasted papists at all? sure the blood-hounds were your men.”

“Why did I, Phil? ah, my good shallow Son—­ha, why did I?” he spoke in a low condensed whisper, “why, to sharpen my vengeance.  It was my design to have made one papist aid in the oppression of another.  Go off, Darby, to Castle Cumber, and let twelve or fourteen of my own corps come to M’Loughlin’s with their horses and carts immediately;—­call also to M’Slime’s, and desire him to meet me there forthwith; and bid Hanlon and the other two fellows to wait outside until they shall be wanted.  The sheriff will be at M’Loughlin’s about two o’clock.”

After Darby had gone, Val paused for a while, then rose, and walked about, apparently musing and reflecting, with something of uneasiness and perplexity in his looks; whilst Phil unfolded the True Blue, and began to peruse its brilliant pages with his usual nonchalance.

“Phil,” said the father, “there is one thing I regret, and it is that I promised Solomon Harman’s farm.  We should, or rather you should, you know, have secured both—­for I need not tell you that two good things are better than one, and as my friend Lucre knows—­who, by the way, is about to be made a bishop of, now that he of ------ ------ has gone to his account.  Solomon, however, having been aware of the fines they offered, ex officio, as the Law Agent, I thought the safest thing was to let them go snacks.  If, however, we could so manage, before Lord Cumber’s arrival, as to get him discarded, we might contrive to secure the other farm also.  The affair of the young woman, on which I rested with a good deal of confidence, would, I am inclined to think, on second consideration, rather raise him in that profligate Lord’s esteem than otherwise.”

“Why, did you not hear that he was publicly expelled from the congregation?” said Phil; “and as to the history of Susanna, that’s all over the parish these two days.  Her father brought the matter before the congregation, and so far Solomon’s hypocrisy is exposed.”

“In that case, then,” said Val, “something may be done yet.  We must only now endeavor to impress Lord Cumber with a strong sense of what is due to public opinion, which would be outraged by having such a Law Agent on his estate.  Come, leave the matter to me, and we shall turn Solomon’s flank yet; I know he hates me, because I curtailed his pickings, by adopting the system of not giving leases, unless to those on whom we can depend.  Besides, the little scoundrel has no political opinions whatsoever, although an Orangeman.”