His family were forced to admit the melancholy truth and strong sense of all he had uttered, and, although the resolution to which he had come was one of bitterness and sorrow to them all, yet from a principle of affection and duty towards him, they felt that any opposition on their part would have been unjustifiable and wrong.

“But, sure,” the old man proceeded, “there’s more than I’ve mentioned yet, to send us away.  Look at poor Bryan, there, how he was nearly ruined by the villany of some cowardly scoundrel, or scoundrels, who set up a still upon his farm; that’s a black business, like many other black business that’s a disgrace to the country—­an inoffensive young man, that never made or did anything to make an enemy for himself, durin’ his whole life!  An’ another thing, bekaise he voted for the man that saved him from destruction, as he ought to do, an’ as I’m proud he did do, listen now to the blackguard outcry that’s against him; ay, and by a crew of vagabonds that ’ud sell Christ himself, let alone their country, or their religion, if they were bribed by Protestant goold for it!  Throth I’m sick of the counthry and the people; for instead of gettin’ betther, it’s worse they’re gettin’ every day.  Make up your minds then, childre’; there’s a curse on the counthry.  Many o’ the landlords are bad enough, too bad, and too neglectful, God knows; but sure the people themselves is as bad, an’ as senseless on the other hand; aren’t they blinded so much by their bad feelin’s, and short-sighted passions, that it is often the best landlords they let out their revenge upon.  Prepare then, childre’; for out of the counthry, or at any rate from among the people, the poverty and the misery that’s in it, wid God’s assistance, we’ll go while we’re able to do so.”

CHAPTER XII.—­Mystery Among the Hogans

—­Finigan Defends the Absent.

The three Hogans, whom we have lost sight of for some time, were, as our readers already know, three most unadulterated ruffians, in every sense of that most respectable term.  Yet, singular as it may appear, notwithstanding their savage brutality, they were each and all possessed of a genius for mechanical inventions and manual dexterity that was perfectly astonishing when the low character of their moral, and intellectual standard is considered.  Kate Hogan, who, from her position, could not possibly be kept out of their secrets, at least for any length of time, was forced to notice of late that there was a much closer and more cautious intimacy between Hycy Burke and them than she had ever observed before.  She remarked, besides, that not only was Teddy Phats excluded from their councils, but she herself was sent out of the way, whenever Hycy paid them a visit, which uniformly occurred at a late hour, in the night.