er of thirty thousand
pounds thought to uproot the oldest family of the west. Did I ever show you
the letter we wrote him?"

"No, sir," replied I, trembling with agitation as I spoke; "you merely
alluded to it in one of yours."

"Look here, lad!" said he, drawing it from the recesses of a black leather
pocket-book. "I took a copy of it; read that."

The document was dated, "O'Malley Castle, December 9th." It ran thus:--

Sir,--I have this moment learned from my agent, that you, or
some one empowered by you for the purpose, made an offer of several
thousand pounds to buy up the different mortgages upon my property,
with a subsequent intention of becoming its possessor. Now, sir, I
beg to tell you, that if your ungentlemanlike and underhand plot
had succeeded, you dared not darken with your shadow the door-sill
of the house you purchased. Neither your gold nor your flattery--and
I hear you are rich in both--could wipe out from the minds
and hearts of my poor tenantry the kindness of centuries. Be advised,
then, sir; withdraw your offer; let a Galway gentleman settle
his own difficulties his own way; his troubles and cares are quite
sufficient, without your adding to them. There can be but one
mode in which your interference with him could be deemed acceptable:
need I tell you, sir, who are a soldier, how that is? As I
know your official duties are important, and as my nephew--who
feels with me perfectly in this business--is abroad, I can only say
that failing health and a broken frame shall not prevent my undertaking
a journey to England, should my doing so meet your wishes
on this occasion. I am, sir,

Your obedient servant, GODFREY O'MALLEY.

"This letter," continued Considine, "I enclosed in an envelope, with the
following few lines of my own:"--

"Count Considine presents his compliments to Lieutenant-General
Dashwood; and feeling that as the friend of Mr. Godfrey O'Malley,
the mild course pursued by that gentleman may possibly be attributed
to his suggestion, he begs to assure General Dashwood that the reverse
was the case, and that he strenuously counselled the propriety
of laying a horsewhip upon the general's shoulders, as a preliminary
step in the transaction.

"Count Considine's address is No. 16 Kildare Street."

"Great God!" said I, "is this possible?"

"Well may you say so