CHAPTER XVII .-- Awful Conduct of Squire Folliard.
-- Fergus Reilly begins to Contravene the Red Rapparee After Malcomson quitted him, the squire, with his golden-headed cane, went to saunter about his beautiful grounds and his noble demesne, proud, certainly, of his property, nor insensible to the beautiful scenery which it presented from so many points of observation.

He had not been long here when a poor-looking peasant, dressed in shabby frieze, approached him at as fast a pace as he could accomplish; and the squire, after looking at him, exclaimed, in an angry tone: "Well, you rascal, what the devil brings you here ?" The man stood for a little, and seemed so much exhausted and out of breath that he could not speak.
"I say, you unfortunate old vagrant," repeated the squire, "what brought you here ?" "It is a case of either life or death, sir," replied the poor peasant.
"Why," said the squire, "what crime did you commit?
Or, perhaps, you broke prison, and are flying from the officers of justice; eh! is that it?
And you come to ask a magistrate to protect you!" "I am flying from the agents of persecution, sir, and know not where to hide my head in order to avoid them." The hard-pressed but amiable priest--for such he was--adopted this language of truth, because he knew the squire's character, and felt that it would serve him more effectually than if he had attempted to conceal his profession.

"I am a Catholic priest, sir, and felt from bitter experience that this disguise was necessary to the preservation of my life.

I throw myself upon your honor and generosity, for although hasty, sir, you are reported to have a good and kind heart." "You are disposed to place confidence in me, then ?" "I am, sir; my being before you now, and putting myself in your power, is a proof of it." "Who are pursuing you?
Sir Robert Whitecraft--eh ?" "No, sir, Captain Smellpriest and his gang." "Ay, out of the frying pan into the fire; although I don't know that, either.

They say Smellpriest can do a generous thing sometimes--but the other, when priest-hunting, never.