The next morning saw him, with his servant, on the
Ballinasloe coach, travelling towards Kelly’s
Court; and, also, saw Brien Boru, Granuell, and Finn
M’Goul led across the downs, from Igoe’s
stables to Handicap Lodge.
The handsome sheets, hoods, and rollers, in which
they had hitherto appeared, and on which the initial
B was alone conspicuous, were carefully folded up,
and they were henceforth seen in plainer, but as serviceable
apparel, labelled W. B.
“Will you give fourteen to one against Brien
Boru?” said Viscount Avoca to Lord Tathenham
Corner, about ten days after this, at Tattersall’s.
“I will,” said Lord Tathenham.
“In hundreds?” said the sharp Irishman.
“Very well,” said Lord Tathenham; and
the bet was booked.
“You didn’t know, I suppose,” said
the successful viscount, “that Dot Blake has
bought Brien Boru?”
“And who the devil’s Dot Blake?”
said Lord Tathenham.
“Oh! you’ll know before May’s over,”
said the viscount.
It will be remembered that the Tuam attorney, Daly,
dined with Barry Lynch, at Dunmore House, on the same
evening that Martin Kelly reached home after his Dublin
excursion; and that, on that occasion, a good deal
of interesting conversation took place after dinner.
Barry, however, was hardly amenable to reason at that
social hour, and it was not till the following morning
that he became thoroughly convinced that it would
be perfectly impossible for him to make his sister
out a lunatic to the satisfaction of the Chancellor.
He then agreed to abandon the idea, and, in lieu of
it, to indict, or at any rate to threaten to indict,
the widow Kelly and her son for a conspiracy, and
an attempt to inveigle his sister Anty into a disgraceful
marriage, with the object of swindling her out of her
property.
“I’ll see Moylan, Mr Lynch,” said
Daly; “and if I can talk him over, I think we
might succeed in frightening the whole set of them,
so far as to prevent the marriage. Moylan must
know that if your sister was to marry young Kelly,
there’d be an end to his agency; but we must
promise him something, Mr Lynch.”
“Yes; I suppose we must pay him, before we get
anything out of him.”
“No, not before—but he must understand
that he will get something, if he makes himself useful.
You must let me explain to him that if the marriage
is prevented, you will make no objection to his continuing
to act as Miss Lynch’s agent; and I might hint
the possibility of his receiving the rents on the
whole property.”
“Hint what you like, Daly, but don’t tie
me down to the infernal ruffian. I suppose we
can throw him overboard afterwards, can’t we?”
“Why, not altogether, Mr Lynch. If I make
him a definite promise, I shall expect you to keep
to it.”
“Confound him!—but tell me, Daly;
what is it he’s to do?—and what is
it we’re to do?”
