rn aside justice from their friends."

"Eh! what's that!" said Sir William, starting up; "come, Hartley, you
are right; there are four of my tenants in for a fray--the M'Caffreys,
and the poor devils stand no chance with such a jury as they will have.
I hear them named below there--so let us join the jobbers as you say,
and see if we cannot get the Bills thrown out."

"Very well," said Val, as they approached him, "the M'Caffreys go to
trial."

"Sir William, excuse me," said Hartley; "will you allow me to interfere,
in the first instance?"

"My dear fellow, certainly, with great pleasure, and I shall aid you as
far as I can."

"Val," said Hartley, in that kind of familiar tone which he knew would
go far with such a man as M'Clutchy, and which was in such accordance
with his own natural good-humor--"Val, my good fellow, and the best man
of business here, by the way, notwithstanding the poteen affair, I want
you to stand my friend and also Sir William's here."

"How is that, Hartley?"

"There are four men in from the Mountain Bar, named M'Caffrey. Now we
want to have the Bills against them ignored; and simply for a plain
reason--at this season of the year any lengthy imprisonment would ruin
them. It was a faction fight or something of that kind, and of course
there is no feeling of a religious or party nature in it. Am I not
right, Sir William?"

"Perfectly; the thing took place during my absence in England for
the last few months. Had I been at home, the matter would have been
peaceably decided in my own stable-yard."

"Yes," observed Val, "but it appears there was a man's life in danger."

"Yes, but, sir, his life is now out of danger."

"Well, but does not this," rejoined Val in his most serious mood, "look
very like obstructing the course of justice?"

"Why, you d----d scoundrel," said the Baronet, "what, in nineteen cases
out of twenty, is done at every assizes where matters connected
with religion or politics are concerned, that ought not to be called
obstructing the course of justice?"

"We shall return true Bills, Sir William and that is the only reply I
have to make, except to thank you for your courtesy."

"Mr. M'Clutchy," said Hartley, "I know your good sense and forbearance,
both of which are so creditable to you. These poor fellows will be
ruined, for both you and I know what kind of jury that is to try them."

"An honest jury, Mr. Hartley," said Mr, M'Clutchy, who was now beginning
to feel