tween them, as to which of
them should stand. Lord Cumber expected an Earldom for his virtues, with
a seat in the house of Lords, and should these honors reach him in
time, then his brother, the Hon. Richard Topertoe, should be put in
nomination. In point of fact, matters between the two parties were fast
drawing to a crisis, and it was also in some degree to balance interests
with Lord Cumber, and neutralize the influence of the Irish government,
that Hartley and his friends deemed it advisible to have a cavalry corps
at their disposal. The day of the dissolution of parliament was now
known, and it naturally became necessary that each candidate should be
found at his post.

It was at this very period that a circumstance occurred, which, although
of apparently small importance, was nevertheless productive of an
incident that will form the catastrophe of our chronicles. Our readers
cannot forget the warm language which passed between the man Sharpe and
our exquisite friend, Philip M'Clutchy, on their way from Deaker's. Now,
it is due to this man to say, that, on looking back at the outrage
which occurred in O'Regan's cottage, and reflecting upon the melancholy
consequences it produced--not forgetting the heart-rending insanity of
O'Regan's wife--he felt deep regret, amounting almost to remorse,
for the part which he bore in it. Independently of this, however, the
conduct of Phil and his father, in their military capacity over the
corps, was made up of such tyrranical insolence at one time, and of such
contemptible meanness at another, that the men began to feel disgusted
with such sickening alternations of swaggering authority, and base,
calculating policy. Many of them, consequently, were heartily tired of
their officers, and had already begun to think of withdrawing altogether
from the corps, unless there were some change for the better made in
it. Now, at this precise state of feeling, with regard to both
circumstances, had Sharpe arrived, when he met his lieutenant on the
day when that gallant gentleman signalized himself by horsewhipping his
grandmother. Phil's threat had determined him to return to the Dashers,
but, on hearing a day or two afterwards, that Hartley was about to raise
a new corps, composed of well-conducted and orderly men, he resolved
not only to offer himself to that gentleman, but to induce all who
were moderate among the "hounds," and, indeed, they were not many,
to accompany him. This alarmed M'