thest
end of the room, where she established herself at her writing-table, and
began to write notes.

Sir Terence wiped his forehead deliberately.

'Then I've had a fine run--Miss Nugent, I believe you never saw me run;
but I can run, I promise you, when it's to serve a friend. And, my
lord (turning to Lord Clonbrony), what do you think I run for this
morning--to buy a bargain--and of what!--a bargain of a bad debt--a debt
of yours, which I bargained for, and up just in time--and Mordicai's
ready to hang himself this minute. For what do you think but that rascal
was bringing upon you--but an execution?--he was.'

'An execution!' repeated everybody present, except Lord Colambre.

'And how has this been prevented, sir?' said Lord Colambre.

'Oh! let me alone for that,' said Sir Terence. 'I got a hint from my
little friend, Paddy Brady, who would not be paid for it either, though
he's as poor as a rat. Well! as soon as I got the hint, I dropped the
thing I had in my hand, which was the DUBLIN EVENING, and ran for the
bare life--for there wasn't a coach--in my slippers, as I was, to get
into the prior creditor's shoes, who is the little solicitor that lives
in Crutched Friars, which Mordicai never dreamt of, luckily; so he was
very genteel, though he was taken on a sudden, and from his breakfast,
which an Englishman don't like particularly--I popped him a douceur of
a draught, at thirty-one days, on Garraghty, the agent; of which he must
get notice; but I won't descant on the law before the ladies--he handed
me over his debt and execution, and he made me prior creditor in a
trice. Then I took coach in state, the first I met, and away with me
to Long Acre--saw Mordicai. "Sir," says I, "I hear you're meditating an
execution on a friend of mine." "Am I?" said the rascal; "who told you
so?" "No matter," said I; "but I just called in to let you know there's
no use in life of your execution; for there's a prior creditor with his
execution to be satisfied first." So he made a great many black faces,
and said a great deal, which I never listened to, but came off here
clean to tell you all the story.'

'Not one word of which do I understand,' said Lady Clonbrony.

'Then, my dear, you are very ungrateful,' said Lord Clonbrony.

Lord Colambre said nothing, for he wished to learn more of Sir Terence
O'Fay's character, of the state of his father's affairs, and of the
family methods of proceeding in matters of business.

'Faith