ry proper precaution, Mrs. Fay," said the doctor, with
imperturbable gravity.

"That villainous smoke is choking me," said Jack Horan.

"Better that, sir, than have a pestilence in the house," said Growling.

"I'll leave the place," said Jack Horan.

"And I, too," said Doyle.

"And I," said Reddy; "'t is disgusting to a sensitive mind."

"Gentlemen!" said Murphy, shutting the door, "you must not quit the
house. I must have an inquest on the body."

"An inquest!" they all exclaimed.

"Yes--an inquest."

"But there's no coroner here," said Reddy.

"No matter for that," said Murphy. "I, as the under-sheriff of the
county, can preside at this inquiry. Gentlemen, take your places; bring
in more lights, Mrs. Fay. Stand round the bed, gentlemen."

"Not too close," said the doctor. "Mrs. Fay, bring more vinegar."

Mrs. Fay had additional candles and more vinegar introduced, and the
drunken fellows were standing as straight as they could, each with a
candle in his hand, round the still prostrate M'Garry.

Murphy then opened on them with a speech, and called in every one in
the house to ask did they know anything about the matter; and it was
not long before it was spread all over the town, that Squire O'Grady
had killed M'Garry, and that the coroner's inquest brought in a verdict
of murder, and that the squire was going to be sent to jail.

This almost incredible humbug of Murphy's had gone on for nearly half
an hour, when the cold arising from his want of clothes, and the riot
about him, and the fumes of the vinegar, roused M'Garry, who turned on
the bed and opened his eyes. There he saw a parcel of people standing
round him, with candles in their hands, and countenances of drunken
wonder and horror.

He uttered a hollow groan, and cried--

"Save us and keep us! where am I?"

"Retire, gentlemen," said the doctor, waving his hand authoritatively;
"retire--all but the under-sheriff."

Murphy cleared the room, and shut the door, while M'Garry still kept
exclaiming, "Save us and keep us! where am I? What's this? O Lord!"

"You're dead!" said Murphy; "and the coroner's inquest has just sat on
you!"

[Illustration: An Irish Inquest]

"Dead!" cried M'Garry, with a horrified stare.

"Dead!" repeated the doctor, solemnly.

"Are _you_ not Doctor Growling?"

"You see the effect, Mr. Murphy," said the doctor, not noticing
M'Garry's question--"you see the effect of the process."

"Wonderful!" said Murphy.

"