The pedlar, who appeared to take so singular an interest in the fortunes of his family, sought and obtained a short interview with him, in which he requested him to state, as accurately as he could remember, the circumstances on which the prosecution was founded, precisely as they occurred.

This he did, closing his account by the usual burthen of all his conversation ever since he went to gaol: "I know I must suffer; but I think nothing of myself, only for the shame it will bring upon my family." Sarah's unexpected illness disconcerted at least one of the projects of Donnel Dhu.

There were now only two days until the assizes, and she was as yet incapable of leaving her bed, although in a state of convalescence.

This mortified the Prophet very much, but his subtlety and invention never abandoned him.

It struck him that the most effectual plan now would be--as Sarah's part in aiding to take away Mave was out of the question--to merge the violence to which he felt they must resort, into that of the famine riots; and under the character of one of these tumults, to succeed, if possible, in removing Mave from her father's house, ere her family could understand the true cause of her removal.