“And did yees know, Miss Miriam, that Phalim O’Rourke was the scoundrel that robbed yees, afther all, jist as Barney said? wan o’ thim notes bein’ found on his person when they catched him.”
“Yes, I heard it; and the note was brought to me last night.”
“Indade, miss! an’ sure I’m glad fer yees that ye’ve got it back; an’ it’s mesilf as hopes they’ll all come back till ye—ivery wan o’ thim; an’ it’s me that’s glad intirely they’ve got that thafe of a villain an’ murderer safe in jail. It’s no thanks to him, the scoundrel, that the ould man—Farmer Himes—wasn’t kilt intirely; an’ for why shouldn’t he swing for the wicked deed?”
“The law doesn’t hang men in this State,” said Miriam; “besides, fortunately, Mr. Himes isn’t dead, and the doctors, I believe, consider him likely to recover.”
“An’ sure, miss, wad the loike o’ that be afther makin’ anny difference to the dirty rascal, Phalim O’Rourke?” asked Nora; “wad they be afther lettin’ him go?”
“He’ll be tried for his crime, and if found guilty will be sent to the penitentiary for a term of years,” answered Miriam.
“An’ Misther Bangs wull be afther clearin’ av him, av coorse,” remarked Nora, in extreme disgust.
“I think it altogether likely he will try to do so,” Miriam said.
Before the day was over she had learned that her surmise was correct, and the tidings increased her already intense detestation of Bangs. She could see no redeeming trait in his character, and strongly suspected him of being in league with the band of burglars who had committed so many depredations in the valley for months past. Surely that alibi he had sworn to on Phelim’s trial for the Lakeside burglary was a lie, and what motive could he have had for thus perjuring himself unless he were a party to the theft and a sharer in the spoils?
She put that query to Ronald while having a little private chat with him before they separated for the night.