Again we return to Hycy Burke, who, when the day of the great struggle arrived, rode after breakfast on that same morning into Ballymacan, and inquired at the post-office if there were any letters for him.

“No,” replied the postmaster; “but, if you see Bryan M’Mahon, tell him I have here one for him, from Major Vanston—­it’s his frank and his handwriting.”

“I’m going directly to him,” said Hycy, “and will bring it to him; so you had better hand it here.”

The postmaster gave him the letter, and in a few minutes Hycy was on his way home with as much speed as his horse was capable of making.

“Nanny,” said he, calling upon Nanny Peety, when he had put his horse in the stable and entered the parlor, “will you fetch me a candle and some warm water?”

“Yes, sir,” said Nanny; “but you must wait till I boil some, for there’s none hot.”

“Be quick, then,” said he, “for I’m in a devil of a hurry.  Shut the door after you, I say.  What is the reason that you never do so, often as I have spoken to you about it?”

“Becaise it’s never done,” she replied; “nobody ever bids me shut it but yourself, an’ that’s what makes me forget it.”

“Well, I’ll thank you,” he said, “to pay more attention to what I say to you I have reason to think you both intrusive and ungrateful, Nanny; and, mark, unless you show me somewhat more submission, madam, you shall pitch your camp elsewhere.  It was I brought you here.”

“Ax your own conscience why, Mr. Hycy.”

“Begone now and get me the hot water,” he said, with a frown of anger and vexation, heightened probably by the state of agitation into which the possession of Vanston’s letter had already put him.

We shall not follow him through all the ingenious and dishonorable manoeuvres by which he got the communication safely open-ed; it is enough to say that, in the course of a few minutes, he was enabled to peruse the contents of Vanston’s communication, which were as follows:—­

Sir,—­I beg to enclose you a letter which I received yesterday from the Secretary to the Board of Excise, and to assure you that I feel much pleasure in congratulating you upon its contents, and the satisfactory result of your memorial.

“I am, sir, very sincerely yours,

“Egbert Vanston.

“To Mr. Bryan M’Mahon,

“Ahadarra.”

(The enclosed.)

“Sir,—­I have had the honor of reading your communication in favor of Bryan M’Mahon, of Ahadarra, and of submitting that and his own memorial to the Commissioners of Excise, who, after maturely weighing the circumstances, and taking into consideration the excellent character which memoralist has received at your hands, have been pleased to reduce the fine originally imposed upon him to the sum of fifty pounds.  The Commissioners are satisfied that memorialist, having been in no way connected with the illicit distillation which was carried on upon his property, is not morally liable to pay the penalty; but, as they have not the power of wholly remitting it they have reduced it as far the law has given them authority.