eminent. The "Papists," as he chose to call all true Catholics, were driven beyond the Shannon, and compelled, as the phrase then was, "to live in hell or Connaught!" Then came the confiscations under William III. They were not so barbarous, perhaps, or so extensive as the others, but they were sufficient to be termed the fifth great national confiscation. Let us take these five barbarous confiscations under which the Irish people have groaned that under Strongbow, under Elizabeth, under James, under Cromwell, and under William, followed up as they were by the odious penal laws, and then tell me is it any wonder that England and English rule should be hated in Ireland, and that to this day the ancient people, the descendants of the kings and princes of the land, consider they have a perfect moral right to fight for the soil of their fathers; and where they cannot repossess themselves by law, to root out the invaders by violence??

As O'Sulevan thus spoke, a loud knocking was heard at the hall door, and instant admittance was demanded by a body of police.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE TRIAL.

THE somewhat startling announcement that a body of police were outside the house and required immediate admittance, created no little excitement amongst the inhabitants of Derreen. Donald went at once to the door, and opening it, demanded to know on what authority they acted.

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Sir,' replied the sergeant respectfully, we have received information from a sure source that James Stephens entered your house about two hours ago, and that he has not left it since. Here is the warrant for his arrest, and you must excuse me if I think it necessary to search the house, as I have every reason to believe that he is still inside.'

'Impossible! quite impossible!' exclaimed O'Sulevan. He could not be here without my knowledge, and certainly neither I nor any of my household have invited him.'

'Excuse me, Sir,' said the policeman. ‘But I think it my duty to search the house, and you will attempt to prevent me at your peril.'

'I shall not attempt to prevent you,' returned Donald. 6 At the same time I shall think it my duty to make you answerable for this indignity, for such I cannot but consider it.'

At this moment one of the body of police who had been stationed outside by the sergeant to surround and guard the house, with orders to let no one leave it without the strictest scrutiny, came up and informed the sergeant that a country girl had just passed him with a pail of milk on her head; that he had cross-examined the girl, who said she came every evening for the same allowance of milk, which the family were kind enough to grant her for her aged father and mother, and that to make sure of the truth of her story he had actually taken down the pail and examined the contents, which were certainly fresh milk, as he had tasted it himself.

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As sure as I am alive that's him!' exclaimed the sergeant. Why did you not bring the woman before me? I told you to let no one leave the house without my knowledge.'

'She had left it before we came up,' said the

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sub-constable; and really I was ashamed to

arrest a country girl with a pail of milk on her head, and bring her before you as James Stephens.'

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'Dolt!' exclaimed the sergeant. Which way did she go?

'Down the wood path,' replied the sub-constable. She is not gone two minutes. I can easily overtake her if you wish.'

'Away as fast as you can, you and two others. Let the rest watch the house all round, and let no living soul leave it till my return. Quick! show us the way she went;' and grasping his carbine firmly, he prepared for a race through the wood at night.

The party of police, four in number, now started down the wood path in a long swinging trot. The night was not dark, so that they had no difficulty in keeping up a rapid pace through an old path at the back of the house which led through the copse to the mountain road which runs by Laragh chapel. They had not gone three hundred yards before the foremost policeman came to a full stop.

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'What is this?' he exclaimed. An empty pail, with the milk all spilt, and there is something white lying in the wood!'

The sergeant dashed at the white object

which he saw lying a few paces from the pathway, and seizing it, he found that it was a woman's dress!

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'I knew it!' he cried. I knew it! The scoundrel has got off again. You dolt! how could you be so stupid? But he cannot have gone far. Disperse through the wood all of you, whilst I run down to the end of the walk and see if he can have got out upon the open mountain. Call on him, if you see him, to stop, and if he don't surrender fire at once. Let us bring him in dead or alive.'

But it was all in vain. The wood was thick and impenetrable, and even if he had gained the open mountain, the ground was so rough and so covered with rocks and precipices and crannies in which a man could easily hide himself, that the sergeant soon felt further pursuit would be useless. A far less adroit man than Stephens could easily escape his pursuers on such a mountain at night-time. The sergeant and his party returned crestfallen and discomfited to Derreen.

He told O'Sulevan all that had happened.

'You amaze me,' returned O'Sulevan. 'I have not the least conception what brought him here-if it was indeed Stephens.'