“What’s up now?” retorted Barry, well knowing that O’Brien would never have offered his hand to Greaves, unless there were good reasons for it.
“Nothin’ more,” returned Tom, “beyond that we had formed a wrong opinion of our frind here, last night; for, instead of his bein’ what I was half inclined to take him for, he cannot fail to be other than the right stamp, or he never could have that letther in his pocket.”
“That’s enough for me, Tom,” replied Barry, extending his hand to Greaves, “for whoever you endorse is sure to pass muster, in this place, at least.”
The conversation here became low and confidential; being interrupted only by an occasional customer who dropped in to take his “morning;” until, at last, breakfast was announced, and the soldier and Greaves, taking the hint, were soon snugly seated side by side in the little parlor of the preceding night, at a neat and comfortable table, smoking with some of the good things which so constantly characterized The Harp. O’Brien, from his other avocations, was unable to join them at the moment; so they both conversed freely on the topic that had just commanded their attention in the bar, and which referred to neither more nor less than the intended invasion of Canada by the army of the Irish Republic, then said to be preparing for a descent upon the Provinces, in the neighboring Union. Nicholas was unable to give any definite information upon the matter; as the authorities of the organization in the United States were very reticent regarding it, and Greaves himself appeared but little better informed. Barry, however, expressed the opinion that, if any man in Canada had thorough information on the point, it was Tom; although he himself had no very tangible grounds for making the observation, notwithstanding the strength of his surmises.
“Do you not belong to the organization yourself, and if you do, ought you not to be in possession of some facts on this all-important movement?” rejoined Greaves, “and if you are not a member, surely you are sufficiently true to Ireland to have been informed, to some extent at least, in regard to it, by your friend O’Brien, who is, I learn, a Centre here.”
“Well, strange as it may appear,” returned the other, “I don’t belong to the Brotherhood, not having, yet had an opportunity to join it; and as for Tom, whatever my suspicions may be, I really am unable to say positively that he is in any degree connected with the organization; although I am sensible that his sympathies, like my own, lie in that direction.”
“How is your regiment situated on this point,” remarked Greaves, leisurely breaking an egg and commencing to chip the shell.
“A good many of my way of thinking,” replied the other; “but, as you know, it is necessary to be cautious, as not only is the commanding officer a tartar, but most of the swords and sashes are of the same kidney. The fact of the case is, however, several of our fellows have deserted, and no doubt will join the organization in the States, and render good service to the cause there, in a military point of view.”
“Why don’t you follow their example and do something for your poor, down-trodden country,” said Philip in reply, “seeing that now is the time she needs the service of all her children?”
“There is no necessity for my deserting,” rejoined Barry, “for I have already applied for my discharge, which I expect to receive this very day; so that ere the sun sets, in all probability, I shall be a freeman.”