"Why, my lord," said Colligan, "I don't know. Your lordship can judge
yourself afterwards; but I'd rather--"

"Oh, I'll get down," said the parson. "I'll just take a walk among the
trees: I suppose the doctor won't be long?"

"If you wouldn't mind getting into my buggy, and letting me into his
lordship's gig, you could be following us on, Mr Armstrong," suggested
Colligan.

This suggestion was complied with. The parson and the doctor changed
places; and the latter, awkwardly enough, but with perfect truth,
whispered his tale into Lord Ballindine's ear.

At first, Frank had been annoyed at the interruption; but, as he
learned the cause of it, he gave his full attention to the matter, and
only interrupted the narrator by exclamations of horror and disgust.

When Doctor Colligan had finished, Lord Ballindine insisted on
repeating the whole affair to Mr Armstrong. "I could not take upon
myself," said he, "to advise you what to do; much less to tell you what
you should do. There is only one thing clear; you cannot let things
rest as they are. Armstrong is a man of the world, and will know what
to do; you cannot object to talking the matter over with him."

Colligan consented: and Armstrong, having been summoned, drove the
doctor's buggy up alongside of Lord Ballindine's gig.

"Armstrong," said Frank, "I have just heard the most horrid story that
ever came to my ears. That wretch, Barry Lynch, has tried to induce
Doctor Colligan to poison his sister!"

"What!" shouted Armstrong; "to poison his sister?"

"Gently, Mr Armstrong; pray don't speak so loud, or it'll be all
through the country in no time."

"Poison his sister!" repeated Armstrong. "Oh, it'll hang him! There's
no doubt it'll hang him! Of course you'll take the doctor's
information?"

"But the doctor hasn't tendered me any information," said Frank,
stopping his horse, so that Armstrong was able to get close up to his
elbow.

"But I presume it is his intention to do so?" said the parson.

"I should choose to have another magistrate present then," said Frank.
"Really, Doctor Colligan, I think the best thing you can do is to come
before myself and the stipendiary magistrate at Tuam. We shall be sure
to find Brew at home to-day."

"But, my lord," said Colligan, "I really had no intention of doing
that. I have no witnesses. I can prove nothing. Indeed, I can't say he
ever asked me to do the deed: he didn't say anything I could charge him
with as a crime