like a wet rag, if ye gave but wan scrape in the by-goin'. There's few knows the thrick av it like me: an' none knows the road I tuk to get up here but them that's sworn nivir to let mortial know. Mind yez don't let out about that stone slab though."

With this caution Barney concluded his narrative.

"Now Barney," said the American, "I have something to ask you. Everything depends on your answer,-your own innocence and the discovery of the guilty party. You spoke of Delaval's shewing a tin-box."

"Throth did he! An' said that was enough to hang me."
"Just so.
Where did he say he found it?"

"In the cabin, sure."

"Was the lid with it?"

"Sartin'! But throth I didn't give a look."

"No. The lid was not with it. The lid was found where the murderer was in hiding, found in the brush behind the boulder by Calvert when he charged up the hill-found and hid at the peril of his own life, because he knew it belonged to his friend. Would you know it ?"

And at a sign Calvert drew it from his bosom, and held it out. Dumb, and pallid as a corpse, with the sweat-drops of agony on This brow, and the grey eyes distended in horror, Barney glared at the damning proof of his guilt.

"That lid was not left there by you, however; neither was the box it fits found in your dwelling. That is all a cunning pretence. Calvert saw a concealed hand fling it to Delaval, as he started on his mission to arrest you. Who got hold of it, and employed it as a blind to throw suspicion on you? That is the question."

"Augh! the murdherin' villains! an' they'd swear away a poor boy's life that-a-way!" ejaculated the bewildered Irishman.

"But, Barney, remember," continued Harvey: "Did you lend the box to any one of late?"

"Sure an' I nivir linds it. The bla'gards has stole it, whoever they were, on purpose to ruinate me!”

"Calvert tells me you had an alarm this morning with some ruffian lurking about."

"Tare-an-ages! an' is it yon omadhaun that's in it ?”

"Calvert swears it is the very same that tossed the box to Delaval: he chased, and all but captured the villain. You didn't make out who he was this morning, did you?"

"No; the spalpeen! He ran too fast. I thought for a minnit I had seen the gallows face av him somewheres afore; but I couldn't be sure."

"Describe him, Calvert; perhaps that will help Barney to the clue."

As nearly as he could remember, the young man gave the description, and Barney sat with his hands run through his grizzling hair, and his elbows supported on his knees, trying vainly to fit the sketch to some one or other of his acquaintance whom he judged capable of such a deed.

Suddenly a voice rang out in the gathering darkness: "Yield! I arrest you in the Queen's name!"

CHAPTER X.

"WHO goes there?" cried Calvert, leaping up and drawing his revolver, but it was dashed out of his hands before he could see a foe, and a strong gripe withheld him whilst a desperate struggle went on before his eyes.

Barney formed the centre of a tumultuous group. Though his collar was grasped by two powerful men; he was far from considering himself arrested.

First, however, he had commenced parleying. At the words, "I arrest you in the Queen's name," pronounced in both his ears at once by his two captors, he had answered:

"Arrist me, is it? An' what for?"

"No nonsense! You know well enough. You had better come along quietly," was the reply.

"Nivir a ha'porth av me knows what ye mane," said Barney, casting a glance right and left on his two guardians, as if measuring the chances of resistance.

Whilst speaking, his hand had been feeling in his bosom. Suddenly the gleam of a knife was seen, and death would have followed, swift as the thunder-clap follows the lightning flash, if one of his two captors had not seen and anticipated the stroke by seizing the uplifted arm with both hands.

Though foiled in this, he had small thought of yielding, nevertheless. Summoning up all the force that a determined will can lend in a moment of extremity, he broke loose from the double

grasp, and with a bound stood defiantly flourishing his weapon in the midst of his foes. A dozen bludgeons were lifted, and he would doubtless have fallen like a bull under the butcher's cleaver had not a voice cried:

"Alive! Take him alive!"

Feeling they were fighting under the eye of their leader, the police-agents rushed altogether on their prisoner.

For an instant there was a frightful mélée. One man stood fighting in the midst of a dozen; then he fell on one knee; then in the midst of his captors.

The American, by no means an uninterested spectator, now stepped forward, and repeated with emphasis Barney's question: "On what ground is this man arrested?"

"For the attempted murder of Colonel Ansdell then, if you wish to know," said a voice in the background.

"Attimpted murder! It's not finished it was thin," broke in the irrepressible Barney. "Sure an' the Colonel is much beholden to yez for lettin' him aff so aisy, Mounseer Divvle. But indade an' indade an' was it the Colonel's silf that sint yez afther me?” "Of course it was," replied the former voice.

"That's a lie and you know it, Delaval!" shouted Calvert indignantly. "My father is opposed, as you very well know, to any proceedings against this man.”

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"The son is opposed, at all events, it seems," was the rejoinder. "Gentlemen, this matter is a grave one," said Harvey, addressing himself for the second time to the intruders. "I oppose myself formally to any further proceedings until a legal warrant be shewn."

"And who are you?" said Delaval, stepping forward.

"I am an American citizen, Sir."

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By name Harvey, and resident for the present at the Queen's Arms' Hotel?"

"Just so."

"Then you, Harvey, confessedly an alien, and by common report styled General of the Fenian organization, stand chargeable with the guilt of inciting to sedition Her Majesty's liege subjects. I myself assume the responsibility of this person's arrest. Gentlemen," said the Frenchman, turning to the posse surrounding him, "Gentlemen, do your duty."

"Beware how you lay a finger on me, lightly. The first motion

and I fire,” said Harvey, drawing up his lengthy form and steadily covering Delaval with his revolver.

Though the Frenchman's was also levelled, yet, so determined was this new antagonist's aspect, that the former, without lowering his weapon, motioned with his other hand to the men to fall back. "It is madness to resist," said he, with set teeth.

"I shall no longer resist when satisfied that your proceedings are legal. Produce your warrant for my arrest," rejoined Harvey, still with the fire-arm extended.

"That is not necessary in a case of suspected treason. In such case, by English law a formal warrant may be dispensed with, and is so now. Again I summon you to surrender," said the Frenchman, furiously.

"That stale trick will not avail you here, Sir," said Harvey, calm and contemptuous. "I recognize no British law, even if this were law, as authority in the case of an American citizen. I claim the protection of the nearest United States Consul. So now, touch me at your peril. Meanwhile, with respect to this poor man, Can you shew any warrant against him?"

With a bow, Delaval, now considerably sobered, lowered his weapon, and produced the document in question.

After a careful inspection, "All seems perfectly regular, with one slight exception," said Harvey, handing it back: "The instrument purports to be issued by Colonel Ansdell as magistrate, but only through yourself as claiming to be his acting deputy, and only on the ground of information sworn before you. Now who are you? And on what ground do you assume to act in his

name

"That you and your tools will soon discover to your cost," replied the Frenchman, irritated at the last taunting remark.

"I insist upon it. Until you produce your commission, that warrant has no legal value whatever," said Harvey.

Apprehensive that after all his prey might escape him, Delaval broke in roughly:

"We have no time to waste on these refinements, Sir. The man is an all but convicted felon, and with or without warrant, it is the duty of every honest man to make sure that he shall not escape justice. As to yourself, you are simply under detention for the moment, pending investigation. Ample opportunity and all legal means for clearing yourself will be afforded you. Whilst

under surveillance you will not be treated as a prisoner. Comfortable apartments will be provided you at the Hall, and Mademoiselle, your sister, I trust, will not consider it an indignity to be invited to form one of the household until these painful complications be unravelled!" A graceful inclination to the maiden pointed the last part of this speech.

"I shall certainly not leave my brother," was her quiet rejoinder, whilst Harvey simply answered:

"You may use your pleasure, Sir, and take the consequences. I only yield to force. Whilst I do not fear investigation, I reiterate my protest against your whole procedure as illegal."

"You're a precious scoundrel, Delaval," said Calvert, burning with rage at the turn affairs had taken, "to use my father's name as stalking-horse for your rascally doings. But I'll put the Governor up to your tricks, never fear!"

"You will have enough to do, young man, to explain away your own connection with this murderous assassin and his instigators,” said Delaval. "If I refrain from clapping the irons on you it is only through respect for your father."

A sudden dash forward and a buffet on the cheek of the insulter marked the youth's resentment.

The Frenchman turned livid, and was aiming a blow at the temple of the unarmed youth, when his wrist was caught in the strong grasp of the sergeant commanding the little troop that had accompanied the constabulary.

"Come, come! Fair play's a jewel!" said the fine fellow. "So long as you have paper to shew for it, all right! But I don't see no warrant for either insulting or using force against this here young chap."

"Never mind. This shall cost you dear!" said Delaval in hissing French, and he turned away with a dark scowl.

"Threatened men live long, my amiable cousin!" retorted Calvert, and forthwith went in search of his beast, which all this. while had been contentedly grazing around the old courtyard.

The animal was speedily secured, and being offered by him for the accommodation of the young lady, was by her gratefully accepted.

The youth seized the rein; but ere they left the enclosure they both turned, as by a simultaneous impulse, and cast a long, eager gaze over this, the scene of their first meeting.