's all--we're losin' the day and I want my breakfast Living
or dead, and be hanged to him, I'm starved for want of something to
eat--and to drink, too--so be quick I tell you."

"Very well, my buck," said Steele--"that's your sort--here goes--"

He once more advanced with a savage determination to effect his
purpose--when the priest gently and in a mild spirit of remonstrance
laid his hand upon his shoulder; but he had scarcely done so, when
one of them seized him by the collar and flung, or rather attempted to
fling, him back with great violence.

"Go on, Steele," shouted the last speaker, whose name was Harpur--"Go
on--and be cursed, man, we will support you."

The words, however, were scarcely out of his lips, when Raymond, his eye
glaring like that of a tiger with the wildness of untamed resentment,
sprang upon him with a bound, and in a moment they once more grappled
together. It was, however, only for a moment--for by the heavy blow he
received from Raymond, the man staggered and fell, but ere he reached
the ground, the gun, which had been ineffectually aimed at the poor
fool, went off, and lodged its contents in the heart of the last
speaker, who staggered, groaned, and fell lifeless where he stood.

For a minute or so, this fatal and unexpected catastrophe stunned them.
They looked upon each other amazed and apparently stupefied, "What,"
cried Sharpe, "is Harpur dead?" Two of them then placed their arms
against the wall in order to ascertain the exact nature of the injury
inflicted.

At this moment, Sharpe, who saw at once the man was indeed lifeless,
raised his gun about to take aim at Raymond, when a blow from Harman
felled him to the earth.

"And here's for your kindness, Mister Harman," shouted Steele; but
ere the words were uttered, O'Regan's wife threw herself upon him
so effectually, that he felt it impossible to avail himself of his
fire-arms.

"Fight now," she shouted in Irish, "it is for your lives--it is for the
widow--for the orphan--for the bed of death--and the dead that's upon
it--fight now--for God will be with us! May his strength and power be
in your arms and your hearts, prays the woeful widow this day!
Villain--villain," she shouted, "I have you powerless now--but it's the
strength of God that is in me, and not my own!"

The conflict that ensued now was bitter, savage, deadly. The moment
Sharpe was knocked down, Raymond flew to their firearms, handed one to
Harman, and kept the oth