know they have not got, and
they'd like to crush the race, when they cannot extinguish the quality.'

Donogan had so excited himself now that he walked up and down the room,
his voice ringing with emotion, and his arms wildly tossing in all the
extravagance of passion. 'This is from Joe Atlee,' said Kearney, as he tore
open the envelope:--

'"DEAR DICK,--I cannot account for the madness that seems to have seized
you, except that Dan Donogan, the most rabid dog I know, has bitten you. If
so, for Heaven's sake have the piece cut out at once, and use the strongest
cautery of common sense, if you know of any one who has a little to spare.
I only remembered yesterday that I ought to have told you I had sheltered
Dan in our rooms, but I can already detect that you have made his
acquaintance. He is not a bad fellow. He is sincere in his opinions, and
incorruptible, if that be the name for a man who, if bought to-morrow,
would not be worth sixpence to his owner.

'"Though I resigned all respect for my own good sense in telling it, I was
obliged to let H. E. know the contents of your despatch, and then, as I saw
he had never heard of Kilgobbin, or the great Kearney family, I told
more lies of your estated property, your county station, your influence
generally, and your abilities individually, than the fee-simple of your
property, converted into masses, will see me safe through purgatory; and I
have consequently baited the trap that has caught myself; for, persuaded
by my eloquent advocacy of you all, H. E. has written to Walpole to make
certain inquiries concerning you, which, if satisfactory, he, Walpole, will
put himself in communication with you, as to the extent and the mode to
which the Government will support you. I think I can see Dan Donogan's fine
hand in that part of your note which foreshadows a threat, and hints that
the Walpole story would, if published abroad, do enormous damage to the
Ministry. This, let me assure you, is a fatal error, and a blunder which
could only be committed by an outsider in political life. The days are long
past since a scandal could smash an administration; and we are so
strong now that arson or forgery could not hurt, and I don't think that
infanticide would affect us.

'"If you are really bent on this wild exploit, you should see Walpole,
and confer with him. You don't talk well, but you write worse, so avoid
correspondence, and do all your indiscretions verbally. Be angry if you
lik