, shook the words back again, as it were, into his
very throat. "You ill-tongued drunken ruffian," said he, "if you don't
hold your scoundrell tongue, I'll pitch you head foremost out of the
house. We must search, Mrs. M'Loughlin," said Irwin, "but it will be
done as quietly as possible."

They then proceeded through all the rooms, into which, singular as it
may appear, they scarcely looked, until they came into that in which we
left Mary M'Loughlin and Phil. The moment this worthy gentleman heard
their approach, he immediately shut the door, and, with all the seeming
trepidation and anxiety of a man who feared discover bustled about, and
made a show of preparing to resist their entrance. On coming to the
door, therefore, they found it shut, and everything apparently silent
within.

"Open the door," said Irwin, "we want to search for arms."

"Ah! boys," said Phil in a whisper through he key-hole, "pass on if you
love me--I give you my word of honor that there's no arms here but a
brace that is worth any money to be locked in."

"We must open, Mr. Phil," said Sharpe, "you know our ordhers. By
Japurs," said he, in a side voice to the rest, "the fellow wasn't
boastin' at all; it's true enough--I'll uould goold he was right, and
that we'll find her inside with him."

"When I see it, I'll believe it," said Irwin, but not till then. Open,
sir," said he, "open, if all's right."

"Oh, d--n it, boys," said Phil again, "this is too bad--honor
bright:--surely you wouldn't expose us, especially the girl." At the
same time he withdrew his shoulder from the door, which flew open, and
discovered him striving to soothe and console Miss M'Loughlin, who
had not yet recovered her alarm and agitation, so as to understand the
circumstances which took place about her. In fact, she had been in that
description of excitement which, without taking away animation, leaves
the female (for it is peculiar to the sex) utterly incapable of taking
anything more than a vague cognizance of that which occurs before her
eyes. The moment she and Phil were discovered together, not all Irwin's
influence could prevent the party from indulging in a shout of triumph.
This startled her, and was, indeed, the means of restoring her to
perfect consciousness, and a full perception of her situation.

"What is this?" she inquired, "and why is it that a peaceable house
is filled with armed men? and you, Mr. M'Clutchy, for what treacherous
purpose did you intrude