“I would take it, Colonel, as a personal favor, if you would investigate the transaction I have mentioned.”

“Undoubtedly I shall, and that very soon.  But about this outrage committed against the boy himself?  We had better take his informations, and punish the follow.”

“Certainly; I think that is the best way.  His conduct to the poor youth has been merciless and detestable.  We must put him out of this part of the country.”

“Call the lad in.  In this case I shall draw up the informations myself, although Gregg usually does that.”

Jemmy, assisted by the curate, entered the room, and the humane Colonel desired him, as he appeared ill, to sit down.

“What is your name?” asked the Colonel.

“James M’Evoy,” he replied.  “I’m the son, sir, of a man who was once a tenant of yours.”

“Ay! and pray how did he cease to be a tenant of mine?”

“Why, sir, your agent, Yallow Sam, put him out of our farm, when my poor mother was on her sick-bed.  He chated my father, sir, out of some money—­part of our rent it was, that he didn’t give him a receipt for.  When my father went to him afterwards for the receipt, Yallow Sam abused him, and called him a rogue, and that, sir, was what no man ever called my father either before or since.  My father, sir, threatened to tell you about it, and you came to the country soon after; but Yallow Sam got very great wid my father at that time, and sent him to sell bullocks for him about fifty miles off, but when he come back again, you had left the country.  Thin, sir, Yallow Sam said nothing till the next half-year’s rent became due, whin he came down on my father for all—­that is, what he hadn’t got the receipt for, and the other gale—­and, without any warning in the world, put him out.  My father offered to pay all; but he said he was a rogue, and that you had ordered him off the estate.  In less than a week after this he put a man that married a bastard daughter of his own into our house and place.  That’s God’s truth, sir; and you’ll find it so, if you inquire into it.  It’s a common trick of his to keep back receipts, and make the tenants pay double."*

* This is the fact.  The individual here alluded to, frequently kept back receipts when receiving rents, under pretence of hurry, and afterwards compelled the tenants to pay the same gale twice!

“Sacred Heaven, O’Brien! can this be possible?”

“Your best way, Colonel, is to inquire into it.”

“Was not your father able to educate you at home, my boy?”

“No, sir.  We soon got into poverty after we left your farm; and another thing, sir, there was no Latin school in our neighborhood.”

“For what purpose did you become a poor scholar?”

“Why, sir, I hoped one day or other to be able to raise my father and mother out of the distress that Yallow Sam brought on us.”

“By Heaven! a noble aim, and a noble sentiment.  And what has this d—­d fellow of a schoolmaster done to you?”