that he picked up his dishonesty and love of
horses--he was groom to that ould profligate, who took him into sarvice
for a raison he had."

"Be as brief as you can," said Harman, "brief--brief."

"On the contrary, Mr. Harman," said Clement, "let her, if you will be
advised by me, take her own time, and her own way."

"Thank you, sir," said Poll, "that's just what I wish. Well, he,
M'Loughlin, transported my boy, that my heart was in, and from that
minute I swore never to die till I'd revenge that act upon him. Very
well--I kept my word. Phil M'Clutchy sent for me, and in his father's
presence, we made up a plot to disgrace Miss M'Loughlin. I brought her
out two or three times to meet me privately, and it was all on your
account, by the way, for I tould her you were in danger; and I so
contrived it, that on one or two occasions you should see myself and her
together. I made her promise solemnly not to tell that she saw me, or
mention what passed between us, or if she did, that your life was not
safe; her love for you, kept her silent even to yourself. But it was
when you were sent to gaol, that we found we had the best opportunity of
ruining her, which was all I wanted: but Phil, the boy, wished to give
you a stab as well as her. As for myself it was in for a penny, in for a
pound with me, and I didn't care a traheen what you suffered, provided
I had my revenge on any one belongin' to Brian M'Loughlin, that
transported my son."

"Is Mary M'Loughlin innocent?" asked Harman, starting from his seat, and
placing his face within a few inches of Poll Doolin's.

Poll calmly put her hand upon his shoulder, and said:--

"Sit down, young man; don't disturb or stop me in what I'm sayin', and
you'll come the sooner at the truth."

"You are right," he replied, "but who can blame me?--my happiness
depends on it."

"Listen," said she, "we made up a plan that she was to meet Phil behind
her father's garden--and why? Why, because I told her that Val had
made up his mind to hang you; but I said that Phil, for her sake, could
prevent that, and save you, if she would only see him that he might
clear himself of some reports that had gone abroad on him. For your
sake she consented to that; but not until I had brought her nearly to
despair, and till she believed that there was no other hope for you.
It was Val M'Clutchy, though, that put me up to bring several of the
neighbors, and among the rest your own cousin, to witness the trick