ghastly resentment, as did
Phil himself, who, whether they looked at him or not, felt that their
eyes were upon him, and that come what might, so long as he remained
in the country he was marked as their victim. This consciousness of his
deserts was not at all lessened by the observations of Irwin upon his
conduct; for be it known, that although there subsisted a political bond
that caused Phil and the violent spirits of the neighborhood to come
frequently together, yet nothing could exceed the contempt which they
felt for him in his private and individual capacity.

"Brother M'Clutchy," said Irwin, "I'm afraid you've made a bad night's
work of it. By the moon above us, I wouldn't take the whole Castle
Cumber property and stand in your shoes from this night out."

"Why so?" said Phil, who was now safe and beyond their immediate reach;
"why so, Irwin? I'll tell you what, Irwin; d---- my honor, but I think
you're cowardly. Did you see how steady I was to-night? Not a syllable
escaped my lips; but, zounds, didn't you see how my eye told?"

"Faith, I certainly did, brother Phil, and a devilish bad tale it told,
too, for yourself. Your father has promised me a new lease, with your
life in it; but after this night, and after what I saw, I'll beg to have
your name left out of that transaction."

"But didn't you see, George," returned Phil, "that a man of them
durstn't look me in the face? They couldn't stand my eye; upon my honor
they couldn't."

"Ay," said Burke, "that's because they're Papishes. A rascally Papish
can never look a Protestant in the face."

"Well but," said Phil, "you would not believe that the girl was so fond
of me as she is, until you saw it. I knew very well they had no arms;
so, as I wished to give you an opportunity of judging for yourselves, I
put the journey upon that footing."

"Well," said Irwin, "we shall see the upshot--that's all."

They then escorted Phil home, after which they dispersed.

When M'Loughlin's family assembled in the parlor, after their departure,
a deep gloom I brooded over them for some minutes. Mary herself was the
first to introduce the incident which gave them so much distress, and in
which she herself had been so painfully involved. She lost not a moment,
therefore, in relating fully and candidly the whole nature of her
intercourse with Poll Doolin, and the hopes held out to her of Harman's
safety, through Phil M'Clutchy. At the same time, she expressed in
forcible