u!'

'Oh! this is too horrible,' said I, gasping for breath. 'My poor fellow!
and I who had treated you so harshly!' I took his hand in mine, but it
was cold and clammy; his features were sunken too--he had fainted.

'Come, Hinton,' said the Major, 'we can do no good here; let us move
down to the inn at once, and see after this poor boy.'

'You are coming with us, Mr. Hinton?' cried Dillon.

'Not now, not now,' said I, while my throat was swelling with repressed
emotion. Without suffering me to say more, Mahon almost lifted me into
the tax-cart, and putting his horse to the gallop, dashed towards the
town, the cheers of the people following us as we went; for, to their
wild sense of justice, Joe was a genuine martyr, and I shared in the
glory of his self-devotion.

The whole way towards Loughrea, Mahon continued to talk; but not a
word could I catch. My thoughts were fixed on the poor fellow who had
suffered for my sake; and I would have given all I possessed in the
world to have lost the race, and seen him safe and sound before me.

'There, there!' said the Major, as he shook me by the arm; 'don't take
it to heart this way. You know little of Ireland, that's plain; that
poor fellow will be prouder for the feeling you have shown towards him
this night than many a king upon his throne. To have served a gentleman,
to have put him under an obligation--_that_ has a charm you can't
estimate the extent of. Beware, only beware of one thing--do not by any
offer of money destroy the illusion; do what you like for him, but take
care of that.'

We now reached the little inn; and Mahon--for I was incapable of all
thought or exertion--got a room in readiness for Joe, and summoning the
doctor of the place, provided everything for his care and accommodation.

'Now, Hinton,' said he, as he burst into my room, 'all's right. Joe is
comfortable in bed; the fracture turns out not to be a bad one. So rouse
yourself, for Dillon's carriage with all its ladies is waiting these ten
minutes.'

'No, no!' cried I; 'I can't go to this dinner-party! I'll not quit----'

'Nonsense, man!' said he, interrupting me; 'you can only do harm here;
the doctor says he must be left quite quiet" and alone. Besides, Dillon
has behaved so well to-day--so stoutly for _him_, that you mustn't
forget it. There, now, where are your clothes? I'll pack them for you.'

I started up to obey him, but a giddiness came over me, and I sank into
my chair, weak and s