"this is 'the rascal' you spoke
of--is he not? M'Evoy," the Colonel proceeded, "you will reply to
my questions with strict truth. You will state nothing but what has
occurred between you and my agent; you must not even turn a circumstance
in your own favor, nor against Mr. Carson, by either adding to, or
taking away from it, more or less than the truth. I say this to you, and
to all present; for, upon my honor, I shall dismiss the first case in
which I discover a falsehood."

"Wid the help o' the Almighty, sir, I'll state nothing but the bare
thruth."

"How long are you off my estate?"

"Ten years, your honor, or a little more."

"How came you to run away out of your farm?"

"Run away, your honor! Grod he knows, I didn't run away, sir. The whole
counthry knows that."

"Yes, ran away! Mr. Carson, here, stated to me this morning, that
you ran away. He is a gentleman of integrity, and would not state a
falsehood."

"I beg your pardon, Colonel, not positively. I told you I did not
exactly remember the circumstances; I said I thought so; but I may be
wrong, for, indeed, my memory of facts is not good. M'Evoy, however,
is a very honest man, and I have no doubt will state everything as it
happened, fairly and without malice."

"An honest 'rascal,' I suppose you mean, Mr. Carson," said the Colonel,
bitterly. "Proceed, M'Evoy."

M'Evoy stated the circumstances precisely as the reader is already
acquainted with them, after which the Colonel turned round to his agent
and inquired what he had to say in reply.

"You cannot expect, Colonel B------," he replied, "that with such a
multiplicity of business on my hands, I could remember, after a lapse of
ten years, the precise state of this particular case. Perhaps I may have
some papers, a memorandum or so, at home, that may throw light upon it.
At present I can only say, that the man failed in his rents, I ejected
him, and put a better tenant in his place. I cannot see a crime in
that."

"Plase your honor," replied M'Evoy, "I can prove by them that's standin'
to the fore this minute, as well as by this written affidavit, sir,
that I offered him the full rint, havin', at the same time, as God is my
judge, ped part of it afore."

"That is certainly false--an untrue and malicious statement," said
Carson. "I now remember that the cause of my resentment--yes, of my just
resentment against you, was your reporting that I received your rent and
withheld your receipt."

"The