CHAPTER XIV .-- Poll Doolin's Honesty, and Phil's Gallantry.
-- A Beautiful but Cowardly Method of Destroying Female Reputation .-- A Domiciliary Visit from the Blood-hounds--Irresponsible Power At length the hour of Mary M'Loughlin's appointment with Phil arrived, and the poor girl found herself so completely divided between the contending principles of love for Harman and aversion towards Phil, that she scarcely knew the purport of her thoughts or actions.

Harman's safety, however, was the predominant idea in her soul, and in order to effect that, or at least to leave nothing undone to effect it, she resolved, as pure and disinterested attachment always will do--to sacrifice her detestation for young M'Clutchy, so far as to give him an opportunity of satisfying her that he was sincere in wishing to save her lover.

This setting aside her invincible and instinctive hatred of that worthy gentleman, was, she thought, not at least unreasonable, and with her mind thus regulated she accordingly awaited the appointed time.

On reaching the back of her father's garden she found that Phil had not arrived, but somewhat to her relief she was accosted by Poll Doolin, who approached from a clump of trees that stood in deep and impenetrable shadow, whilst she and Poll were easily visible under the dim light of what is called a watery and cloudy moon.
Poll, as she addressed her, spoke eagerly, and her voice trembled with what appeared to Mary to be deep and earnest agitation.
"Miss M'Loughlin," she exclaimed, in a low, but tremulous voice, "I now forgive your father all--I forgive him and his--you need not forgive, for I never bore you ill-will--but I am bound to tell you that there's danger over your father's house and hearth this night.

There is but one can save them, and he will.