he impossibility of getting any money from
the clutches of Pardorougha. You must see Connor, and find out how he
intends to defend himself. If his father won't allow him sufficient
means to employ the best lawyers--as I doubt whether he will or
not--just tell him the truth, that whilst I have a penny of these two
hundred guineas, he mustn't want money; an' tell him, too, that all the
world won't persuade me that he's guilty; say I know him to be innocent,
and that his disgrace has made him dearer to me than he ever was
before."

"Surely, you can't suppose for a moment, my dear Una, that I, your
brother, who, by the way, have never opened my lips to him, could
deliberately convey such a message."

"It must be conveyed in some manner; I'm resolved on that."

"The best plan," said the other, "is to find out whatsoever attorney
they employ, and then to discover, if possible, whether his father has
furnished sufficient funds for his defence. If he has, your offer is
unnecessary; and if not, a private arrangement may be made with the
attorney of which nobody else need know anything."

"God bless you, John! God bless you!" she replied; "that is far better;
you have been a good brother to your poor Una--to your poor unhappy
Una!"

She leaned her head on a table, and wept for some time at the trying
fate, as she termed it, which hung over two beings so young and so
guiltless of any crime. The brother soothed her by every argument in his
power, and, after gently compelling her to dry her tears, expressed his
intention of going early the next day to ascertain whether or not
any professional man had been engaged to conduct the defence of her
unfortunate lover.

In effecting this object there was little time lost on the part of young
O'Brien. Knowing that two respectable attorneys lived in the next market
town, he deemed it best to ascertain whether Fardorougha had applied to
either of them for the purposes aforementioned, or, if not, to assure
himself whether the old man had gone to any of those pettifoggers, who,
rather than appear without practice, will undertake a cause almost on
any terms, and afterwards institute a lawsuit for the recovery of a
much larger bill of costs than a man of character and experience would
demand.

In pursuance of the plan concerted between them, the next morning found
him rapping, about eleven o'clock, at the door of an attorney named
Kennedy, whom he asked to see on professional business. A