umor he might be in: and
in reply observed to Malcomson, that--

"As his honor done a great dale o' good! to the poor o' the counthry,
I think it wouldn't be daicent in us, Misther Malcomson, to go for to
publish this generous act to the poor priesht; if he is wrong, let us
lave him to Gad, shir."

"Ou ay, weel I dinna but you're richt; the mair that we won't hae to
answer for his transgressions; sae e'en let every herring hang by its
ain tail."

In the meantime, Lanigan, who understood the affair well enough,
addressed the audience in the kitchen to the following effect:

"Now," said he, "what a devil of a hubbub you all make about nothing!
Pray, young lady," addressing Esther Wilson, who alone had divulged the
circumstance, "did his honor desire you to keep what you seen saicret?"

"He did, cook, he did," replied Esther; "and gave us money not to speak
about it, which is a proof of his guilt."

"And the first thing you did was to blaze it to the whole kitchen! I'll
tell you what it is now--if he ever hears that you breathed a syllable
of it to mortal man, you won't be under his roof two hours."

"Oh, but, surely, cook--"

"Oh, but, surely, madam," replied Lanigan, "you talk of what you don't
understand; his honor knows very well what he's about, mid has authority
for it."

This sobered her to some purpose; and Lanigan proceeded to execute his
master's orders.

It is true Miss Esther and Malcomson were now silent, for their own
sakes; but it did not remove their indignation; so far from that,
Lanigan himself came in for a share of it, and was secretly looked upon
in the light of the squire's confidant in the transaction.

Whilst matters were in this position, the Red Rapparee began gradually
to lose the confidence of his unscrupulous employer. He had promised
that worthy gentleman to betray his former gang, and deliver them up to
justice, in requital for the protection which he received from him. This
he would certainly have done, were it not for Fergus, who, happening to
meet one of them a day or two after the Rapparee had taken service with
Whitecraft upon the aforesaid condition,--informed the robber of that
fact, and advised him, if he wished to provide for his own safety and
that of his companions, to desire them forthwith to leave the country,
and, if possible, the kingdom. They accordingly took the hint; some of
them retired to distant and remote places, and others went beyond seas
for their securi