people
after him, begging them to do the same? Of course, you would; and
what more has this young man done? Unfortunately he struck too
hard; but that, although we may deplore the circumstance, shows no
criminality on his part; but only the strong indignation which he
very properly felt. As to the cock and bull story of his being a
ribbonman, no man of sense could entertain it. It appears that a
few nights before the occurrence he went to a tenant's wedding, and
unfortunately took a drop too much punch. That had been many a good
man's case before his. And then he got among a lot of men who were
uttering vague, nonsensical threats against different persons, whom
they disliked. One, I hear, says that Ussher was threatened; and
another--and, I am told, by far the more creditable witness--that it
was Keegan, the attorney, whose name was mentioned; it appears, that
when drunk, he promised to join these men in another drinking party,
which promise he, of course, never thought of keeping after he was
sober; and yet there are some who are cruel enough to say--I won't
say harsh enough to believe, for they can't believe it--that when he
attacked Ussher in his sister's defence, Macdermot was only carrying
into execution a premeditated plan of murdering him! Premeditated
indeed, when it was plain to every one, that it was by the merest
accident that he happened to be in the avenue at the time. People
might just as well say that it was he who cut off the attorney's
foot the other day, though he was in gaol at the time. I must say,"
continued the Counsellor, "that should the poor young man fall a
victim to the false evidence which I am aware private malice and
wretchedly vindictive feeling will supply, then the basest murder
will really have been committed which ever disgraced this county. I
don't envy the state of mind of any gentleman who can look forward
with a feeling of satisfaction to the prospect of that poor youth's
being hanged for protecting his sister, merely because the seducer
was in habits of intimacy with himself or his family."

Mr. Brown left the meeting, taking no immediate notice of the
Counsellor's philippic. It was not, however, because he did not
comprehend the latter part of it, or that he meant to overlook it.

Sir Michael was much distressed in making up his mind finally on
the subject. It was reported, however, soon after the meeting above
alluded to, that he had stated to some of his more immediate frien