man who announced our party. As they entered the magisterial room, Captain Whaley yet held in his hand his naked sword; this, howéver, at their appearance, he sent with a sounding jerk into its scabbard, as if to demonstrate his familiarity with the weapon, or glorying in the noise it made.

“Practising a little at the sword-exercise, Sir Thomas," he said; "we'll have work in hand some o' these days, and soon, I hope; so one must know how to use the blade. Ay, ay! these Croppy dogs will make us busy enough; but we'll tame 'em. Take chairs, gentlemen, take chairs."

The individual with whom the Captain had been practising was, indeed, our old acquaintance of somewhat facetious memory in the eview-field. At present, however, his appearance was altered for the better. Dressed cap-à-pie, as was his commander, in "the clothin'," of which, at our first introduction to him, he had so much bewailed the tardy furnishing and delivery by the tailors, he represented with considerable effect the character of a military person. Nay, he had been a real soldier, a real dragoon, in his early days; and hence his present office of disciplinarian, commencing with its Captain, to the Ballybreehoone Cavalry. Various were the rumours of the cause of his dismissal from regular service. Some would not call it dismissal; but rather leave-taking, or, vulgarly, desertion. Others allowed the term to stand, but attributed rank cowardice; others, theft. But, as the real cause was known only to himself, at least among his neighbours, he took credit for his own story—namely, that he had obtained enfranchisement from the duties and responsibilities of a private dragoon, in consequence of a deed of desperate bravery; and that he had preferred honourable retirement, to the offer a commission in his admiring regiment.

"I hope, however, that the opportunity will not soon occur for such desperate use of your weapon, Captain Whaley," said Sir Thomas; in reply to the observation that, in lieu of any others had greeted his entrance into the apartment.

"Be dSir Thomas! but the opportunity exists this moment. Not a Papist in the county but is in a high fever of disaffection. They must be bled into loyalty. And that they will be; ha ha ha!"—a laugh at his own wit;—"eh, Saunders ?"

"I deny your assertion, Captain Whaley," said the precipitate Father Rourke: "every Wexford Roman Catholic is not a rebel. Such as are, would grow wiser, if treated fairly."

"Who called for your opinion, Sir? Who sent for you? Have you any business with me, I wish to know?"

"Ask those at my side," answered the priest.

"Mr. Rourke is good enough to attend us as a material witness against a person in your custody, Captain Whaley," said Sir Thomas.

!

.!

“Oh—ay!—the fellow abroad; I've seen him; I've had an eye on him; I've taken his measure. A rank Croppy, by whatever else may be your charges against him, Sir Thomas. I'd know a Croppy through a fog a mile off; I'd pick him out of a crowd at a fair. When you've done with this hero, he has yet to get through my hands, I can tell you-eh, Saunders? By only we waited to show you sport, we'd have given him a taste o' the whipcord an hour ago? eh, Saunders? Saunders, you see, is installed whipcord-master, as well as disciplinarian to my corps, the Ballybreehoone cavalry. 'Tis said, he knows by experience, the sore spot between the shoulders: eh, Saunders ?"

"Tie him up for me, Captain," said Saunders Smyly, “an' if Į don't show him the art, an' tache him to spake, say I never saw a cat flyin' round a triangle."

"Or felt her claws at one-ha, ha!-eh, Saunders? What sy you, Father Rourke ?—No; but what ails you? Why, you seem to dislike the very name of a cat: though there's many that can't abide the animal, 'ill be better friends with her before long; ha! ha!—eh, Saunders ?”

"Ay, by the great Saizor! the Ballybreehoone Cavalry 'ill be no slinkers at home. They'll do duty, or I don't know Capt'n Whaley."

"Right, Saunders. Be d-d! but I'll ferrit every Croppy out o' the parish."

"Then you will make more Croppies, Capt'n, than are to be found in the parish," said the priest, abruptly and warmly. "What's that, Sir?" striding up to him; "be d- -d, Sir! Priest Rourke, do you threathen me ?" He now stood, a foot at least, under the dauntless-looking priest; slapped down, tight on his head, the horsehair decorated helmet he had not taken off at the entrance of our friends; and set his arms a-kimbo. "By Sir! I'd have you to know, I'll listen to no such talk in this house. By- Misther Priest! the turn of a hand would make me tache you who you spake to, Sir!"

"Pah! pah!" was Mr. Rourke's answer, as he turned, and, at one or two immense strides, went to look out through the window, The quick entrance of another Captain of yeoman-cavalry postponed the discussion between the zealous loyalist and the half

J

Croppy priest. It was Talbot, clad. like the soldier-justice, in full uniform, but which. in contrast with the awkwardly ostentatious disposition of that of Captain Whaley, sat gracefully and familiarly on his erect, youthful person, and firm, well-shaped limbs.

The meeting between the rivals was on both sides unexpected. They started at the first view of one another, and interchanged glances which, could they have been concentrated, like the sun's summer rays, through some moral burning-glass, might be supposed, without much metaphorical licence, capable of darting, from each to each, a stroke of withering power. Yet these frowning regards were differently characterized. Talbot's expressed steady, contemptuous hatred, and haughty resolution; that of his enemy, as the colour went and came on his cheeks, was more flashing, and, it might be inferred, more eager, so to speak, for the instantaneous annihilation of its object.

Captain Whaley greeted cordially his young and loyal brother in arms. Mr. Rourke turned from the window during their mutual salutations, again joining his friends.

"Remember your pledge to me," whispered Sir Thomas to his agitated son-in-law elect, for he had closely watched the effect produced on him by Talbot's sudden entrance, and justly feared a coming explosion.

Sir William, still following Talbot with a burning glare, although that person was now constrainedly speaking to Captain Whaley, started at the hint, paused an instant, and with a forced smile, bowed low in acquiescence.

Talbot began the dialogue.

"You see, Sir Thomas," he said coolly and sternly, "I have complied with your summons, however abrupt it may have been." "I thank you for your prompt attendance, Sir," replied the Baronet. "And if the summons was abrupt, so has been the circumstance that made it necessary."

"Well, I grant you as much."

"This, then, is my accuser ?" questioned Sir William.

"I am he who charged you with the base intent of deceiving into a mock marriage, while your real wife yet lives, an honourable and spotless lady," answered Talbot.

"Slanderer and liar!" began Sir William ; but the voices of Sir Thomas and Captain Whaley together, interrupted him.

"Be d-d, gentlemen! what's all this? Bad business, by !eh, Saunders ?-Croppyism at the bottom of it-I'll go bail: eh ?"

The

"Sir William," remonstrated the old Baronet, "I have your solemn pledge to act with temper, dignity, and forbearance. words you have spoken do not observe that pledge."

""Tis better they should not," said Talbot; "they are something to remember.'

"Do not forget them, then," rejoined his rival.

"You shall see," answered Talbot.

"Come, gentlemen," continued Sir Thomas, rather loftily "this is idle. Neither of you,—not even he who stands at my side, has a claim, a right, to set the issue of our present investigation upon a brawling quarrel. The heiress of Hartley Court is not to be the prize of a successful gladiator; if any one amongst us is entitled to advocate her, I alone am that person. I deny, in Miss Hartley's name, and my own, that any man, except her father, has yet a claim to be her champion. So patience, Sir William Judkin."

With outward humility, but with inward chafing, the rebuked lover again bowed low. Sir Thomas proceeded briefly to state to the magistrate the nature and particulars of the investigation over which he was called to preside. Scarce had he made an end of speaking, when Captain Whaley broke out

C6 What, eh? Captain Talbot says that Sir William is a married man already!-Eh? yes; and Sir William denies the fact !eh? yes,—again. Then be d-d! there's one sting for another, and nothing else as yet,-eh, Saunders ?"

"Captain Whaley puts the matter just as it stands," remarked Sir Thomas. "Proof of the assertion now becomes necessary."

In

"Sir Thomas Hartley," said Talbot, "give me a fair hearing. Make some allowances for me, when you hear my statement. rash moment, I prematurely made the disclosure. I should have paused, and it was my determination to have paused, in order to gain time for taking steps necessary to its fit and seasonable consideration by you and by the world. Allow me to regret, for the present, my intemperate precipitancy. Before our inquiry proceeds farther, afford me the time for preparation, which—but that agitation, of a kind, not I am sure, misunderstood by you, threw me off my guard-I had resolved to afford myself, ere we conversed together on the subject."

While Sir William began to brighten up with anticipated triumph, the person thus appealed to, said

"Very strange, Mr. Talbot; may I inquire what are the steps to be taken, of which you speak ?”

"I answer plainly. As yet, I command no real proofs of the charge, and-"

"Ah!" Sir William cried, exultingly.

"And they cannot be procured without exertion, time, and trouble."

66

"Still very strange, Sir; making all the allowances I can for you, still very strange, I say. But," continued the Baronet, following up his own first view of the matter, your charge, we must conclude, though incautiously made in the absence of real, circumstantial proof, has been made upon the word of some person you believed you could credit ?”

"I fear not.

Yet one who, it seems to me, could have had no earthly reason for slandering Sir William Judkin."

"This is still little better, Sir," resumed Sir Thomas ;- satisfied, however, with the exact squaring, so far, of the facts of the case with his previous judgment. "Your informant, to warrant even your rash assertion, ought, at least, to have been well-known and well esteemed by you. But, such as he is, you can produce him?” "I can, at a second's call. But, if you allow me my choice, I had rather decline, how strange soever such conduct may appear, further inquiry into this business, until some certain day, which I am ready to name, and upon which I engage to reappear before Captain Whaley, and stand or fall by the case I shall make out."

"It is not intended to deny you a future opportunity for arranging your full proof, Mr. Talbot. But meantime, having pushed ns so far, we must insist, at least, upon being confron ed with the man' from whose assertion yours is, for the present, exclusively derived.' “You push me, not I you, Sir Thomas. But does the party most interested desire it ?"

"I have already called you slanderer and—” his rival began. 'Peace, Sir William !" cried the elder Baronet. "Mr. Talbot, we wait your decision.”

"Then, Captain Whaley, be good enough to order in the prisoner who waits in the hall," said Talbot deliberately. Again Sir Thomas saw he had indeed rightly pronounced, in his own mind, upon the excusable, though beadlong credulity, of his former friend.

"Oh, the Croppy dog!" cried the magistrate. "What, that fellow! eh? I guessed it all along. I said it was Croppyism at bottom; didn't I, eh? To be sure, he must appear before us. Haul him in here, Saunders."