"Oh, I see, it's all the same thing in the end; I'll do it either way."
"We'll accept Mr. Murphy's guarantee for your solvency," said Peters; "obtain that and you can sign the bond at once."
"Faith I'll get it sure enough, and be here before you've the writing drawn out;" said he, buttoning up his coat.
"What name are we to insert in the bond?"
"Tiernay, sir."
"That's the prisoner's name, but we want yours."
"Mine's Tiernay too, sir, Pat Tiernay of the Black Pits."
Before I could recover from my surprise at this announcement he had left the Court, which, in a few minutes afterward, broke up, a clerk alone remaining to fill up the necessary documents and complete the bail-bond.
The Colonel, as well as two others of his officers, pressed me to join them at breakfast, but I declined, resolving to wait for my name-sake's return, and partake of no other hospitality than his.
It was near one o'clock when he returned, almost worn out with fatigue, since he had been in pursuit of Mr. Murphy for several hours, and only came upon him by chance at last. His business, however, he had fully accomplished; the bail-bond was duly drawn out and signed, and I left the barrack in a state of happiness very different from the feeling with which I had entered it that day.