The proceedings, however, had by this time taken too fearful a shape for even the Captain to compel them to a blindfold oath; the first man he called flatly refused to answer, until he should hear the nature of the service that was required.  This was echoed by the remainder, who, taking courage from the firmness of this person, declared generally that, until they first knew the business they were to execute, none of them would take the oath.  The Captain’s lip quivered slightly, and his brow again became knit with the same hellish expression, which I have remarked gave him so much the appearance of an, embodied fiend; but this speedily passed away, and was succeeded by a malignant sneer, in which lurked, if there ever did in a sneer, “a laughing devil,” calmly, determinedly atrocious.

“It wasn’t worth yer whiles to refuse the oath,” said he, mildly, “for the truth is, I had next to nothing for yez to do.  Not a hand, maybe, would have to rise, only jist to look on, an’ if any resistance would be made, to show yourselves; yer numbers would soon make them see that resistance would be, no use whatever in the present case.  At all, evints, the oath of secrecy must be taken, or woe be to him that will refuse that; he won’t know the day, nor the hour, nor the minute, when he’ll be made a spatch-cock of.”

He then turned round, and, placing his right hand on the Missal, swore, “In the presence of God, and before his holy altar, that whatever might take place that night he would keep secret, from man or mortal, except the priest, and that neither bribery, nor imprisonment, nor death, would wring it from his heart.”

Having done this, he again struck the book violently, as if to confirm the energy with which he swore, and then calmly descending the steps, stood with a serene countenance, like a man conscious of having performed a good action.  As this oath did not pledge those who refused to take the other to the perpetration of any specific crime, it was readily taken by all present.  Preparations were then made to execute what was intended:  the half burned turf was placed in a little pot; another glass of whiskey was distributed; and the door being locked by the Captain, who kept the key as parish clerk and schoolmaster, the crowd departed silently from the chapel.

The moment those who lay in the darkness, during the night, made their appearance at the altar, we knew at once the persons we were to visit; for, as I said before, they were related to the miscreants whom one of those persons had convicted, in consequences of their midnight attack upon himself and his family.  The Captain’s object in keeping them unseen was, that those present, not being aware of the duty about to be imposed on them, might have less hesitation about swearing to its fulfilment.  Our conjectures were correct; for on leaving the chapel we directed our steps to the house in which this devoted man resided.