hopes of catching what they said.

"It is a disgraceful uproar," said the sheriff.

"Then it is your business, Mister Sheriff," returned Egan, "to suppress
it--not mine; they are quiet enough now."

"Yes, but they'll make a wow again," said Furlong, "when Miste' O'Gwady
begins."

"You seem to know all about it," said Dick; "maybe _you_ have
instructed them."

"No, sir, I didn't instwuct them," said Furlong, very angry at being
twitted by Dick.

Dick laughed in his face, and said, "Maybe that's some of your
electioneering tactics--eh?"

Furlong got very angry, while Dick and Murphy shouted with laughter at
him--"No, sir," said Furlong, "I don't welish the pwactice of such
di'ty twicks."

"Do you apply the word 'dirty' to me, sir?" said Dick the Devil, ruffling
up like a game-cock. "I'll tell you what, sir, if you make use of the
word 'dirty' again, I'd think very little of kicking you--ay, or eight
like you--I'll kick eight Furlongs one mile."

"Who's talking of kicking?" asked O'Grady.

"I am," said Dick, "do you want any?"

"Gentlemen! gentlemen!" cried the sheriff, "order! pray order! do
proceed with the business of the day."

"I'll talk to you after about this!" said O'Grady, in a threatening
tone.

"Very well," said Dick; "we've time enough, the day's young yet."

O'Grady then proceeded to find fault with Egan, censuring his politics,
and endeavouring to justify his defection from the same cause. He
concluded thus: "Sir, I shall pursue my course of duty; I have chalked
out my own line of conduct, sir, and I am convinced no other line is
the right line. Our opponents are wrong, sir--totally wrong--all wrong;
and, as I have said, I have chalked out my own line, sir, and I propose
the Honourable Sackville Scatterbrain as a fit and proper person to sit
in parliament for the representation of this county."

The O'Gradyites shouted as their chief concluded; and the Merryvalians
returned some groans, and a cry of "Go home, turncoat!"

Egan now presented himself, and was received with deafening and
long-continued cheers, for he was really beloved by the people at
large; his frank and easy nature, the amiable character he bore in all
his social relations, the merciful and conciliatory tendency of his
decisions and conduct as a magistrate, won him the solid respect as
well as affection of the country.

He had been for some days in low spirits in consequence of Larry Hogan's
visit and mysterious communi