He had no sooner uttered these words, than the fellow whose name was Hudson, whispered to one of his companions, who immediately disappeared with something like a grin of exultation on his countenance.  Mrs. M’Loughlin’s illness was now such as she could no longer attempt to conceal.  The painful shock occasioned by this last vindictive proceeding on the part of M’Clutchy, came at a most unhappy moment.  Overcome by that and her illness, she was obliged to go to bed, aided by her husband and her daughter; but before she went, it was considered necessary to get one of the ruffians, as an act of favor, to take an inventory of the furniture in her chamber, in order that her sick room might not be intruded upon afterwards.

Mary having put her sick mother to bed, returned to the parlor, from whence she was proceeding to the kitchen, to make whey with her own hands for the invalid, when in passing along the hall, Harman and her brother John met her.  She was in a hurry, and was about to pass without speaking a word, when she and they were startled by the following dialogue—­

“So, Bob, did you see the pale beauty in the parlor?”

“I did, she’s a devilish pretty girl.”

“She is so—­well, but do you know that she is one of Mr. Phil’s ladies.  Sure he was caught in her bed-room some time ago.”

“Certainly, every one knows that; and it appears she is breaking her heart because he won’t make an honest woman of her.”

John caught his sister, whose agitation, was dreadful, and led her away; making at the same time, a signal to Harman to remain quiet until his return—­a difficult task, and.  Harman felt it so.  In the meantime, the. following appendix was added to the dialogue already detailed—­

“Why do you hould such talk under this, roof, Leeper?” asked a third voice.

The only reply given to this very natural query was a subdued cackle, evidently proceeding from the two first speakers.

“Do you both see that strong horse-pistol,” said the third voice—­for in those days; an Execution was almost always levied by armed men—­“by the Bible of truth, if I hear another word of such conversation from any man here while we’re under this roof, I’ll sink the butt of it into his skull!  It’s bad enough that we’re here on an unpleasant duty—­”

“Unpleasant! speak for yourself.”

“Silence, you ruffian—­on an unpleasant-duty; but that’s no reason that we should grieve the hearts and insult the feelings of a respectable family like this.  The truth, or rather the blasted falsehood that was put out on the young lady is now known almost everywhere, for Poll Doolin has let out the truth.

“But didn’t Misther Phil desire us to say it, so as that they might hear us.”

“Mr. Phil’s a cowardly scoundrel, and nothing else; but, mark me, Phil or no Phil, keep your teeth shut on that subject.”

“Just as much or as little of that as we like, if you please, Mr. ——.”