dinner; "is the matter you allude to a real, actual,
bona-fide conspiracy?"

"An actual live conspiracy," replied the proctor; "and as soon as it has
reached maturity, and is full grown, you shall have all the honors of
the discovery."

"That will do, Mat--hem, that will do my dear friend. I shall have the
Castle dancing with delight--and whisper--but this is honorable between
ourselves--any advantages that may result from this affair, you shall
partake of. The Castle and I understand one another, and depend upon it,
your name shall be mentioned with all the honor and importance due to
it."

"This, then, was what you wanted with me?"

"It was, and upon my honor and conscience, you and yours, and I
and mine, will have cause to rejoice in it. Government, my dear
Mat--ahem--is a generous benefactor, and aided by it we shall work
wonders. We shall, I trust, all be provided for--your sons and my own
fool--M'Carthy, too, we shall not forget.

"All that will be very pleasant, I acknowledge," replied the proctor,
dryly, "and in the meantime good-by, and may God spare both you and me
long life and happiness--until then, and as long after it as we may wish
for."

Our friend M'Carthy, who was little aware of the liberal provision which
the benevolence of his friend had in contemplation for him, was in the
meantime likely to be provided for in a very different manner, and upon
principles very much at variance with those of that political gentleman
yclept the Castle, an impersonation which it would be exceedingly
difficult to define.

CHAPTER IX.--Sport in the Mountains.

In the course of that day Letty Lenehan, who had been musing over
Mogue's soliloquy in the barn, felt that kind of impression which every
one has felt more or less under similar circumstances. The fellow's
words left a suspicion upon her mind that there was evil designed
against young M'Carthy by this smooth-going and pious hypocrite. How to
act she felt somewhat at a loss, but as the day advanced, the singular
impression we have mentioned deepened, until she could conceal
its existence no longer. After dinner, however, she seized upon an
opportunity of consulting her friend and lover, Jerry Joyce, who, by
the way, had also been somewhat surprised at an expression which
escaped Mogue in the morning. On comparing notes, both came to the same
conclusion, viz.,--that there existed in the bosom of Mogue some latent
hard feeling against M'Carthy.

"