“Now,” said she to her father, “the people is scatterin’ themselves homewards; and the streets is gettin’ clear—­but listen—­that letter is directed to Bryan M’Mahon; will you keep about the post-office here; Bryan’s in town, an’ it’s likely when the danger’s over that he may be passin’.  Now you know that if he does, the people in the shop where the post-office is kep’ will see him, an’ maybe he’ll get the letter to-day, or I’ll tell you what, watch Hycy; take my word for it, he has some scheme afoot.”

“Hycy’s no favorite wid you, Nanny.”

“Why you know he’s not, an’ indeed I don’t know why he’s one wid you.”

“Throth an’ he is, many a shillin’ an’ sixpence he throws me,—­always does indeed wherever he meets me.”

“No matter, maybe the day will soon come when you’ll change your opinion of him, that’s all I say, except to keep your eye on him; and I’ll tell you why I bid you, some day soon.”

“Well, achora, maybe I may change my opinion of him; but at present I say he is my favorite, an’ will be so, till I know worse about him.”

Nanny, having bade him good-bye, and repeated her wish that the old man would watch the post-office for some time, proceeded up the street in the direction of the grocer’s, to whom she had been dispatched for groceries.

Two hours more had now elapsed, the crowds were nearly dispersed, and the evening was beginning to set in, when Hycy Burke called at the post-office, and for the second time during the day, asked if there was a letter for him.

The post-master searched again, and replied, “No; but here’s another for Bryan M’Mahon.”

“What!” he exclaimed, “another for Bryan!  Why he must have an extensive correspondence, this Bryan M’Mahon.  I wonder who it’s from.”

“There’s no wonder at all about it,” replied the post-master, “it’s from Major Vanston.  Here’s his frank and handwriting in the direction and all.”

“Allow me to look,” said Hycy, glancing at it.  “Yes, you are quite right, that is the gallant Major’s hand, without any mistake whatsoever.  I will not fetch him this letter,” he proceeded, “because I know not when I may see him; but if I see him, I shall tell him.”

Peety Dim, who had so placed himself in the shop attached to the post-office, on seeing Hycy approach, that he might overhear this conversation without being seen, felt, considerably surprised that Hycy should seem to have been ignorant that there was a letter for M’Mahon, seeing that it was he himself who had sent it there.  He consequently began to feel that there was some mystery in the matter; but whatever it might be, he knew that it was beyond his power to develop.

On coming forward from the dark part of the shop, where he had been standing, he asked the post-master if there was a second letter for M’Mahon.

“No,” replied the man, “there is only the one.  If you see him, tell him there’s a letter from Major Vanston in the office for him.”