ht,' and he winked one of his squinting eyes
as he spoke. James Harman who was standing behind him stepped forward,
'but I can say more,' said he, 'she's daughter to Brian M'Loughlin, and
no acquaintance of yours--and what is more, never will be; ay, and what
is more,' said James, 'here's a proof of it;' and as he spoke he pulled
Phil's proboscis, and then wiped his fingers in his purty face. 'Now,
you cowardly scoundrel,' he added, 'let that teach you not to speak of
any respectable female in such a tone, or to claim an acquaintance where
you have it not.'"

"Never mind, my good fellow," said Phil, "I'll make you smoke for this."

"You know where I'm to be found," said James, "and your remedy too; but
you haven't the spirit to take it like a man--and so I leave you with
the white feather in your cap."

This anecdote for various reasons distressed Mary beyond relief. It
increased her detestation of young M'Clutchy to the highest possible
pitch, and rendered the very thought of him doubly odious to her heart.
Her understanding became bewildered, and for a while she knew not
what she said or did. Taking a candle and attempting to conceal her
agitation, she withdrew again to her own room, where she sat for nearly
half an hour endeavoring to shape her tumultuous thoughts into something
of clearness and order.

M'Loughlin's brow, however, after her departure, still remained clouded.
"Misfortunes they say," said he, "never come single; here is our
lease out, and we will not get a renewal notwithstanding the fine we
offered--and to mend the matter some good friend has spread a report
that the firm of M'Loughlin and Harman is unsafe. Our creditors are
coming down upon us fast--but it's the way of the world, every one
striving to keep himself safe. If these men were not set upon us by some
coward in the dark there would be neither loss nor risk to them nor to
us; but if they press on us out of the usual course, I fear we won't be
able to stand it. Then poor Harman, too! heighonee!" After some further
conversation, in which it was clear that M'Clutchy's and M'Slime's
manoeuvres had begun to develop themselves, Mary rejoined them. Her
countenance on her return was evidently more composed, and impressed
with a more decided, perhaps we should say, determined character. She
had made her mind up. M'Clutchy, junior, was no doubt one of the most
detastable of men, but as she knew that she hated him, and felt a
perfect consciousness