e departed, with
no tradition to carry away, save of a life passed in debauch, the
friendship of worthless, the pitying contempt of good men! Hear me out
I was nurtured in no school of sentiment; I belonged to a class who
had too little time or taste to indulge in scruples. We were reckless,
passionate,--cruel, if you will,--but we were not bad in cold blood; we
seldom hated long; we never could turn on a benefactor. These are not
the lessons I 've lived to learn here! It is over, however--it is past
now! I 'll go back to the old haunts, and the old comrades. It will go
hard with me if I quarrel with their rude speech and rough demeanor. I
'll think of _gentlemen!_ and be grateful."

The rapid utterance in which he poured forth these words, and the fervid
excitement of his manner, abashed Kenny-feck, and deterred him from
reply. Cashel was the first to speak.

"This arrangement, however, must be provided for; whatever Mr.
Corrigan's interest be worth--or rather, whatever he will accept in lieu
of it--I insist upon his having. But I see Dr. Tiernay coming up to the
door; we can talk of these things at another time."

When Tiernay entered the library he was heated with his walk, and his
face betrayed unmistakable signs of recent irritation; indeed, he did
not long conceal the reason.

"Is it true, Mr. Cashel, that Mr. Linton is your nominee for the borough
of Derraheeny?"

"Yes; what of that?"

"Why, that he canvasses the constituency in a fashion we have not yet
been accustomed to; at least _your_ tenants, of whom I am one, are
told that our votes are the condition on which our leases will receive
renewal; that you will not brook opposition in any one who holds under
you. Are these your sentiments, Mr. Cashel, or only his?"

"Not mine, assuredly," replied Cashel, gravely.

"I said as much. I told several of my neighbors that if this mode of
canvass had your sanction, it was from not knowing the privileges of an
elector."

"I neither sanctioned nor knew of it," rejoined Cashel, eagerly.

"So much the better--at least for me," said Tiernay, seating himself at
the breakfast-table, "for I shall not lose a good breakfast, as I should
have been forced to do had these been your intentions."

"I would observe, Dr. Tiernay," interposed Kennyfeck, mildly, "that
the borough, being entirely the property of Mr. Cashel, its charities
maintained by his bounty, and its schools supported at his cost, he has
a fair claim on