“Please your honor,” observed Steen, “I have a charge to make against George Johnston.”
“A charge, Steen—what is it? You are a staunch, steady fellow, I know; what is this charge?”
“Why, sir, we met a suspicious character on the old bridle road beyond Reilly's, and he refused to take him prisoner.”
“A poor half-Papist beggarman, sir,” replied Johnston, “who was on his way to my uncle's to stop there for the night. Divil a scarecrow in Europe would exchange clothes with him without boot.”
Steen then related the circumstances with which our readers are acquainted, adding that he suggested to Johnston the necessity of sending a couple of men up with him to ascertain whether what, he said was true or not; but that he flatly refused to do so—and after some nonsense about a barn he let him off.
“I'll tell you what, sir,” said Johnston, “I'll hunt a priest or a Papish that breaks the law with any man livin', but hang me if ever I'll hunt a harmless beggarman lookin' for his bit.”
At this period of the conversation the Red Rapparee, now in military uniform, entered the parlor, accompanied by some others of those violent men.
“Steen,” said the baronet, “what or who do you suppose this ragged ruffian was?”
“Either a Rapparee, sir, or Reilly himself.”
“O'Donnel,” said he, addressing the Red Robber, “what description of disguises do these villains usually assume? Do they often go about as beggarmen?”