nto his shaking hand,
and said,--

"Fire if he tries to get up, your honour. Let me get at the other one."

He was easily disposed of, for the terrified horse was jerking him off
his feet and dragging him here and there in its efforts to get clear. I
soon had him on the road beside his companion, helping him thereto by a
crack on the head from his own club; and I then took the horse in hand,
and reduced it, after a struggle, to quietness.

Till this was done I had had neither time nor heart to lift my eyes to
the occupants of the gig. His honour, very white, kept his eyes on the
men on the road and his finger on the trigger of the pistol. But Miss
Kit had all her eyes for me. At first her look was one of mere
gratitude to a stranger; then it clouded with bewilderment and almost
alarm; then suddenly it lit up in a blaze of joyful recognition.

"Barry, it's you after all?" she cried.

And the light on her face glowed brighter with the blush that covered it
and the tears that sparkled in her eyes.

At the sound of her voice his honour looked round sharply, and after
staring blankly for a moment, recognised me too.

"How came you here?" he exclaimed, as I thought, with as much
disappointment as pleasure in his voice.

"I'll tell you that by-and-by, when I've tied up these two scoundrels.--
Come, stand up you two, and hands up, if you don't want a taste of cold
lead in your heads."

They obeyed in a half-stupid way. One of them I recognised at once as
the man who had acted as secretary at last night's meeting. No doubt he
and his fellow had had their misgivings as to Paddy Corkill's ability,
and had come here to second him in case of failure.

"So, Mr Larry Flanagan," said I, "there'll be grand news for the
meeting to-night!"

"Who are you? I don't know you. Who's told you my name?"

"Never mind. The same as told me that Paddy Corkill borrowed your gun
for this vile deed. Come, back to back now."

I had already got the tether cord from the boot of the gig, and in a few
minutes had the two fastened up back to back as neatly as a sailor can
tie knots.

"There," said I, dragging them to the roadside, "you'll do till we send
the police to fetch you.--Your honour," said I, "I chanced to hear of
this plot against your life last night. Thank Heaven I was in time to
help you and the young mistress! Maybe you'll do well to take a brace
of police about with you when you travel, and leave the young lady at