, and if any one tould you so, they spoke an untruth."

"Ay, ay," said Clinton, "that may be so, and I hope it is so; but you
know that it could not be expected you would admit it even if it be
true. Will you in the mean time, be guided by a friend? I respect your
father and his family; I respect yourself, M'Mahon; and, consequently,
my advice to you is--keep out of the meshes of the law--avoid violating
it--and remember you have enemies. Now think of these words, and so
good-bye, M'Mahon! Indeed, I am glad for your own sake I met
you--good-bye!"

As he uttered the last words he dashed on and left Bryan in a state
of perfect amazement at the strange and incomprehensible nature of the
communication he had just received. Indeed, so full was his mind of the
circumstance, that forgetting all his suspicions of Fethertonge, and
urged by the ingenuous impulse of an honest heart, he could not prevent
himself in the surprise and agitation of the moment from detailing the
conversation which he had just had with the gauger.

"That is singular enough," said Fethertonge--"he named Hycy Burke,
then?"

"He did, sir."

"It is singular," proceeded the other, as if speaking to himself; "in
truth, my dear M'Mahon, we were talking about you, discussing, in fact,
the same subject not many minutes ago; and what you tell me now is only
an additional proof that Clinton, who is sometimes harshly spoken of by
the way, is a straightforward, honest man."

"What could he mane, sir?" asked Bryan, "I never had anything to do
contrary to the law--I haven't now, nor do I ever intend to have--"

"Well, I'm sure I do not know," replied the agent: "he made no illusion
of that kind to me, from a generous apprehension, I dare say, lest he
might injure you in my opinion. He only desired me not rashly to listen
to anything prejudicial to your character; for that you had enemies who
were laboring to injure you in some way--but how--he either would not
tell, or perhaps did not know. I am glad, however, he mentioned it; for
I shall be guarded should I hear anything to your prejudice."

"I tell you beforehand, sir," said Bryan, with the conscious warmth
of rectitude, "and I think I ought to know best, that if you ever hear
anything against my honesty or want of principle, or if any one should
say that I will be consarned in what's contrary to either law or
justice, you'll hear a falsehood--I don't care who it comes from--and
the man who tells you so is a