ability, at any rate, I won't let the fear of such
a thing frighten me out of my comfort before it happens. And now if
you'll let me say a word or two to you about yourself--"

"I'm much obliged to you, Captain Ussher, but if you can take care of
yourself, so can I of myself."

"Why how cranky you are, man! If you hate me, hate me in God's name,
but don't be so absurd as to forget you're a man, and to act like a
child. I listened to you--and why can't you listen to me?"

"Well, spake on, I'll listen."

"Mind, I don't pretend to know more of your affairs than you would
wish me; but, as I am intimate with your father, I cannot but see
that you, in managing your father's concerns, put great confidence in
the man within there."

"What! Pat Brady?"

"Yes, Brady! Now if you only employed him as any other farm servant,
he would not, probably, have much power to injure you; but I believe
he does more than that--that he collects your rents, and knows the
affairs of all your tenants."

"Well?"

"I have very strong reason to think that he is also in the
employment, or at any rate in the pay, of Mr. Keegan, the attorney at
Carrick."

"What makes you think that, Captain Ussher?"

"I could hardly explain the different things which make me think so;
but I'm sure of it; and it is for you to judge whether, if such be
the case, your confidence will not enable him, under the present
state of affairs at Ballycloran, to do you and your father much
injury. He is also, to my certain knowledge, joined in whatever
societies--all of them illegal--are being formed in the country; and
he is a man, therefore, not to be trusted. I may add also that if you
listen too much to his advice and counsels, you will be likely to
find yourself in worse troubles than even those which your father's
property brings on you."

"Don't alarm yourself about me; I don't be in the habit of taking a
servant's advice about things, Captain Ussher."

"There's your back up again; I don't mean to offend you, I tell you;
however, if you remember what I have said to you, it may prevent much
trouble to you:"--and Ussher walked into the house.

"Prevent throubles," soliloquised Thady; "there is no way with me
to prevent all manner of throuble--I believe I'll go in and get a
tumbler of punch;"--and determined to adopt this mode of quieting
troubles, if he could not prevent them, he followed Ussher.

Ussher was now dancing with Feemy, and the fun had become univ