“What is it?” said the Prophet, calmly.

“You tould the matther to Sarah, an’ she, by coorse, tould it to Charley Hanlon, that she tells everything to.”

“No such thing,” replied the other.  “Sarah knows nothing about the robbery that’s to go on to-night at the Grange, but she did about the plan upon Mave Sullivan, and promised to help us in it, as I tould you before.”

[Illustration:  PAGE 913—­ I’ll have nothing to do with this robbery]

“Well, at any rate,” replied Duncan, “I’ll have nothing to do with this robbery—­devil a thing; but I’ll make a bargain wid you—­if you manage the Grange business, I’ll lend a hand in Mave Sullivan’s affair.”

The Prophet looked at him, fastening his dark piercing eyes-upon his face—­

“I see,” he proceeded, “you’re suspicious or you’re cowardly, or maybe both; but to make you feel that I’m neither the one nor the other, and that you have no raison to be so either, I say I’ll take you at your word.  Do you manage Mave Sullivan’s business, and I’ll see what can be done with the other.  An’ listen to me now, it’s our business, in case of a discovery of the robbery, to have Masther Dick’s neck as far in the noose for Mave’s affair as ours may be for the other thing; an’ for the same raison you needn’t care how far you drive him.  He doesn’t wish to have violence; but do you take care that there will be violence, an’ then maybe we may manage him if there’s a discovery in the other affair.”

“Donnel, you’re a great headpiece—­the divil’s not so deep as you are; but as the most of them all is strangers, an’ they say there’s two girls in Sullivan’s instead o’ one, how will the strange boys know the right one?”

“If it goes to that,” said the Prophet, “you’ll know her by the clipped head.  The minute they seize upon the girl with the clipped head, let them make sure of her.  Poor foolish Tom Dalton, who knows nothing about our scheme, thinks the visit is merely to frighten the Sullivans; but when you get the girl, let her be brought to the crossroads of Tulnavert, where Masther Dick will have a chaise waitin’ for her, an’ wanst she’s with him your care’s over.  In the meantime, while he’s waitin’ there, I an’ the others will see what can be done at the Grange.”

“But tell me, Donnel; you don’t intend, surely, to leave poor Sarah behind us?”

“Eh?  Sarah?” returned the Prophet.

“Ay; bekaise you said so awhile a-gone.”

“I know I said so awhile ago; but regardin’ Sarah, Rody, she’s the only livin’ thing on this earth that I care about.  I have hardened my heart, thank God, against all the world but herself; an’ although I have never much showed it to her, an’ although I have neglected her, an’ sometimes thought I hated her for her mother’s sake—­well, no matther—­she’s the only thing I love or care about for all that.  Oh! no—­go wid-out Sarah—­come weal come woe—­we must not.”

“Bekaise,” continued Rody, “when we’re all safe, an’ out o’ the raich o’ danger, I have a thing to say to you about Sarah.”