," said the
agent, as he glanced at the receipt. He hastily turned it over, and went
on, "Just indorse the receipt, and I'll consider your proposition."

The receipt was indorsed, and at once taken off by the agent's clerk to
the bank to bring back pound-notes for it, while the agent quietly
proceeded to fill out the regular form of receipt for a full year's
rent, eighteen pounds. Denis noted what he supposed of course to be the
agent's blunder, but like an astute person held his peace. The clerk
came back with the notes. Denis took up his receipt, and the agent
quietly began handing him note after note across the table.

"But, your honour!" exclaimed Denis, "what on earth are ye giving me all
this money for?"

"It's your change," said the agent, quite imperturbably. "You gave me a
bank receipt for one hundred pounds. I have given you a receipt for your
full year's rent, and here are eighty-two pounds in notes, and with it
eighteen shillings in silver--that's five per cent. reduction. I would
have made it ten per cent., only you were so very sharp, first about not
having the money, and then about the full receipt!"

In an instant all eyes were fastened upon Denis. Ichabod! the glory had
departed. The chorus went up from his disenchanted followers:--

"Ah, glory be to God, you were not bright enough for the agent, Denis!"

And so that day the agent made a very full and handsome collection--and
there was a slight reduction in the deposit-accounts of the local bank!

In the evening Mr. Tener gave me the details of some cases of direct
intimidation with the names of the tenants concerned. One man, whose
farm he visited, told him he had paid his rent not long before to the
previous agent. "Well," said Mr. Tener, "show me your receipt!" On this
the tenant said that he dare not keep the receipt about him, nor even in
the house, lest it should be demanded by the emissaries of the League,
who went round to keep the tenants up to the "Plan of Campaign," and
that it was hidden in his stable. And he went out to the stable and
brought it in.

This, he had reason to believe, was not an uncommon case.[12] The same
man, wishing to take a grass farm which the people hoped the agent would
consent to have "cut up" was asked to give two names on a
promissory-note to pay the rent. He demurred to this, and after a parley
said, "Would a certificate do?" upon which he pulled out an old
tobacco-box, and carefully unfolded from it a bank