ded, in a
voice tremulous from emotion, 'And yet, my boy, to men like this I would
now expose you! No, no, Jack; I' ll not do it. I care not what turn the
thing may take; I 'll not embitter my life with this reflection.' He
seized the letter, and crushing it in his hand, walked towards the
window.

'Come, come, O'Grady,' said I, 'this is not fair; you first draw a
strong picture of these men, and then you deem me weak enough to fall
into their snares. That would hardly say much for my judgment and good
sense; besides, you have stimulated my curiosity, and I shall be sadly
disappointed if I'm not to see them.'

'Be it so, Jack!' said he with a sigh. 'I shall give you a couple
of letters to some friends of mine down there; and I know but one
recompense you'll have for all the trouble and annoyance of this
business--your pretty friend, Miss Bellew, is on a visit in the
neighbourhood, and is certain to be at the race.'

Had O'Grady looked at me while he spoke he would have seen how deeply
this intelligence affected me, while I myself could with difficulty
restrain the increased interest I now felt in all about the matter,
questioning him on every particular, inquiring into a hundred minute
points, and, in fact, displaying an ardour on the subject that nothing
short of my friend's preoccupation could have failed in detecting the
source of. My mind now fixed on one object, I could scarcely follow him
in his directions as to travelling down, secrecy, etc.

I heard something about the canal-boat, and some confused impression was
on my mind about a cross-road and a jaunting-car; but the prospect of
meeting Louisa, the hope of again being in her society, rendered me
indifferent to all else; and as I thrust the letters he gave me into my
coat-pocket, and promised an implicit observance of all his directions,
I should have been sorely puzzled had he asked me to repeat them.

'Now,' continued O'Grady, at the end of about half-an-hour's rapid
speaking, 'I believe I've put you in possession of all the bearings
of this case. You understand, I hope, the kind of men you have to deal
with, and I trust Mr. Ulick Burke is thoroughly known to you by this
time?'

'Oh, perfectly,' said I, half mechanically.

'Well, then, my boy, I believe I had better say good-bye. Something
tells me we shall meet ere long; meanwhile, Jack, you have my best
wishes.' He paused for a moment and turned away his head, evidently
affected, then added, 'You'