thers, felt a savage pleasure at the
bare thought of reversing the game of sufferance; while many, mixed up
their own wrongs with what they regarded as national grievances, and
converted their private vengeance into a patriotic daring. Few stood
utterly aloof, and even of these, none would betray the rest.

The temporary success of murder, too, became a horrible incentive to its
commission. The agent shot, the law he had set in motion stood still,
the process fell powerless; the "Wild Justice" superseded the slower
footsteps of common law, and the murderer saw himself installed in
safety, when he ratified his bond in the blood of his victim.

Habitual poverty involves so much of degradation, that recklessness of
life is its almost invariable accompaniment; and thus, many of these men
ceased to speculate on the future, and followed the dictates of their
leaders in blind and dogged submission. There were many, too, who felt
a kind of savage enthusiasm in the career of danger, and actually loved
the very hazard of the game. Many more had private wrongs--old debts of
injury to wipe out--and grasped at the occasion to acquit them; but even
when no direct motives existed, the terror of evil consequences induced
great numbers to ally themselves with this terrible conspiracy, and when
not active partisans, at least to be faithful and secret confidants.

Among the many dispossessed by the agent was Owen Connor. Scarcely had
he left the neighbourhood, than an ejectment was served against him; and
the bailiff, by whose representations Owen was made to appear a man of
dangerous character, installed in his mountain-farm. This fellow was
one of those bold, devil-may-care ruffians, who survive in every contest
longer than men of more circumspect courage; and Lucas was not sorry
to find that he could establish such an outpost in this wild and dreary
region. Well armed, and provided with a sufficiency of ammunition, he
promised to maintain his strong-hold against any force--a boast not so
unreasonable, as there was only one approach to the cabin, and that,
a narrow path on the very verge of a precipice. Owen's unexpected
appearance was in his eyes, therefore, a signal for battle; he supposed
that he was come back to assert his ancient right, and in this spirit
it was, he menaced him with instant death if he advanced another step.
Indeed, he had been more than once threatened that Owen's return would
be a "dark day" for him, and prepare