ter as fast as he can."

"An' why, Bartle?"

"Why, for rasons you know nothin' about. Of late he's got very much out
o' favor, in regard of not comin' in to what people wish."

"Speak plainer, Bartle; I'm in the dark now."

"There's work goin' on in the counthry, that you and every one like you
ought to be up to; but you know nothin', as I said, about it. Now Bodagh
Buie, as far as I hear--for I'm in the dark myself nearly as much as
you--Bodagh Buie houlds out against them; an' not only that, I'm tould,
but gives them hard words, an' sets them at defiance."

"But what has all this to do with me marrying his daughter?"

"Why, he wants some one badly to stand his friend wid them; an' if
you were married to her, you should on his account become one o' thim;
begad, as it is, you ought, for to tell the truth there's talk--strong
talk too--about payin' him a nightly visit that mayn't sarve him."

"Then, Bartle, you're consarned in this business."

"No, faith, not yet; but I suppose I must, if I wish to be safe in the
counthry; an' so must you too, for the same rason."

"And, if not up, how do you know so much about it?"

"From one o' themselves, that wishes the! Bodagh well; ay, an' let me
tell you, he's a marked man, an' the night was appointed to visit him;
still it was put back to thry if he could be managed, but he couldn't;
an' all I know about it is that the time to remimber him is settled, an'
he's to get it, an', along wid other things, he'll be ped for turnin'
off--however, I can't say any more about that."

"How long is it since you knew this?"

"Not long--only since last night, or you'd a got it before this. The
best way, I think, to put him on his guard 'ud be to send him a scrape
of a line wid no name to it."

"Bartle," replied Connor, "I'm as much behoulden to you for this, as if
it had been myself or my father that was marked. God knows you have
a good heart, an' if you don't sleep sound, I'm at a loss to know who
ought."

"But it's hard to tell who has a good heart, Connor; I'd never say any
one has till I'd seen them well thried."

At length the hour for setting out arrived, and both, armed with good
oaken cudgels proceeded to Bodagh Buie's haggard, whither they arrived
a little before the appointed hour. An utter stillness prevailed around
the place--not a dog barked--not a breeze blew, nor did a leaf move on
its stem, so calm and warm was the night. Neither moon nor stars shone
in the fir