“I remember it,” replied the Colonel; “this is ‘the rascal’ you spoke of—­is he not?  M’Evoy,” the Colonel proceeded, “you will reply to my questions with strict truth.  You will state nothing but what has occurred between you and my agent; you must not even turn a circumstance in your own favor, nor against Mr. Carson, by either adding to, or taking away from it, more or less than the truth.  I say this to you, and to all present; for, upon my honor, I shall dismiss the first case in which I discover a falsehood.”

“Wid the help o’ the Almighty, sir, I’ll state nothing but the bare thruth.”

“How long are you off my estate?”

“Ten years, your honor, or a little more.”

“How came you to run away out of your farm?”

“Run away, your honor!  Grod he knows, I didn’t run away, sir.  The whole counthry knows that.”

“Yes, ran away!  Mr. Carson, here, stated to me this morning, that you ran away.  He is a gentleman of integrity, and would not state a falsehood.”

“I beg your pardon, Colonel, not positively.  I told you I did not exactly remember the circumstances; I said I thought so; but I may be wrong, for, indeed, my memory of facts is not good.  M’Evoy, however, is a very honest man, and I have no doubt will state everything as it happened, fairly and without malice.”

“An honest ‘rascal,’ I suppose you mean, Mr. Carson,” said the Colonel, bitterly.  “Proceed, M’Evoy.”

M’Evoy stated the circumstances precisely as the reader is already acquainted with them, after which the Colonel turned round to his agent and inquired what he had to say in reply.

“You cannot expect, Colonel B------,” he replied, “that with such a
multiplicity of business on my hands, I could remember, after a lapse of
ten years, the precise state of this particular case.  Perhaps I may have
some papers, a memorandum or so, at home, that may throw light upon it. 
At present I can only say, that the man failed in his rents, I ejected
him, and put a better tenant in his place.  I cannot see a crime in
that.”

“Plase your honor,” replied M’Evoy, “I can prove by them that’s standin’ to the fore this minute, as well as by this written affidavit, sir, that I offered him the full rint, havin’, at the same time, as God is my judge, ped part of it afore.”

“That is certainly false—­an untrue and malicious statement,” said Carson.  “I now remember that the cause of my resentment—­yes, of my just resentment against you, was your reporting that I received your rent and withheld your receipt.”

“Then,” observed the Colonel, “There has been more than one charge of that nature brought against you?  You mentioned another to me this morning if I mistake not.”

“I have made my oath, your honor, of the thruth of it; an’ here is a dacent man, sir, a Protestant, that lent me the money, an’ was present when I offered it to him.  Mr. Smith, come forrid, sir, an’ spake up for the poor man, as you’re always willin’ to do.”