on every hill
head. All count, your honor, on my fingers a roun' half-dozen, all on
your estate, sir, featherin' their nests as fast as they can."

"Is this Jackson a good tenant, Mr. Carson?"

"I gave you his character this morning, Colonel B."

"Hout, Colonel!" said the Presbyterian, "deil a penny rent the man pays,
at all, at all. A'll swear a hev it from Jackson's own lips. He made him
a Bailey, sir; he suts rent free. Ask the man, sir, for his receipts,
an' a'll warrant the truth will come out."

"I have secured Jackson's attendance," said the Colonel; "let him be
called in."

The man in a few minutes entered.

"Jackson," said the Colonel, "how long is it since you paid Mr. Carson
here any rent?"

Jackson looked at Carson for his cue; but the Colonel rose up
indignantly: "Fellow!" he proceeded, "if you tamper with me a single
moment, you shall find Mr. Carson badly able to protect you. If you
speak falsehood, be it at your peril."

"By Jing, sir," said Jackson, "All say nothin' aginst my father-in-laa,
an' A don't care who teks it well or ull. A was just tekin' a _gun_ (* a
half-tumbler of punch) with a fren' or two--an d---me, A say, A'll stick
to my father-m-laa, for he hes stuck to me."

"You appear to be a hardened, drunken wretch," observed the Colonel.
"Will you be civil enough to show your last receipt for rent?"

"Wull A show it? A dono whether A wull or not, nor A dono whether A hey
it or not; but ef aall the receipts in Europe wur burnt, d---- my blood,
but A'll stick to my father-in-laa."

"Your father-in-law may be proud of you," said the Colonel.

"By h----, A'll back you en that," said the fellow nodding his head, and
looking round him confidently. "By h-----, A say that, too!"

"And I am sorry to be compelled to add," continued the Colonel, "that
you may be equally proud of your father-in-law."

"A say, right agane! D---- me, bit A'll back that too!"and he nodded
confidently, and looked around the room once more. "A wull, d---- my
blood, bit no man can say agane it. A'm married to his daughter; an', by
the sun that shines A'll still stan' up for my father-in-laa."

"Mr. Carson," said the Colonel, "can you disprove these facts? Can you
show that you did not expel M'Evoy from his farm, and put the husband of
your illegitimate daughter into it? That you did not receive his rent,
decline giving him a receipt, and afterwards compel him to pay twice,
because he could not produce the rece