nt my son Ned, Dandy Duffy, an' Alick Nulty, to join in
givin' evidence against blaggard Bartle Flanagan. Now the truth is,
gintlemen, you don't know the state o' the country. If they come into a
court of justice against him, their lives won't be worth a traneen. Its
aginst their oath, I'm tould, as Ribbonmen, to prosecute one another;
an' from hints I resaved, I'm afraid they can't do it, as I said,
barrin' at the risk o' their lives."

"Father," said John, "as far as I have heard, he speaks nothing but
truth."

"I believe he does not," rejoined the Bodagh, "an', by my sowl, I'll be
bound he's an honest man--upon my credit, I think you are, M'Cormick."

"I'm thankful to you, sir," said Nogher.

"I'm inclined to think further," said John, "that we have proof enough
against Flanagan without them."

"Thin, if you think so, John, God forbid that we'd be the manes of
bringin' the young men into throuble. All I'm sorry for is, that they
allowed themselves to be hooked into sich a dark and murdherous piece of
villainy."

"I know, sir, it's a bad business," said Nogher, "but it can't be helped
now; no man's safe that won't join it."

"Faith, and I won't for one," replied the Bodagh, "not but that they
sent many a threat to me. Anything against the laws o' the counthry is
bad, and never ends but in harm to them that's consamed in it."

"M'Cormick," added the son, "villain as Flanagan is, we shall let him
once more loose upon society, sooner than bring the lives of your son,
and the two other young men into jeopardy. Such, unhappily, is the state
of the country, and we must submit to it."

"I thank you, sir," said Nogher. "The truth is, they're sworn, it seems,
not to prosecute one another, let whatever may happen; an' any one of
them that breaks that oath--God knows I wish they'd think of others as
much as they do of it--barrin' a stag that's taken up, an' kep safe by
the Government, is sure to be knocked on the head."

"Say no more, M'Cormick," said the Bodagh's inestimable son, "say no
more. No matter how this may terminate, we shall not call upon them as
evidences. It must be so, father," he added, "and God help the country
in which the law is a dead letter, and the passions and bigoted
prejudices of disaffected or seditious men the active principle which
impresses its vindictive horrors upon society! Although not myself
connected with them, I know their oath, and--but I say no more.
M'Cormick, your friends are s