Religion thus was made the stalking-horse, not only of power, but of persecution, rapacity, and selfishness, and the unfortunate Roman Catholic who considered himself safe to-day might find himself ruined tomorrow, owing to the cupidity of some man who turned a lustful eye upon his property, or who may have entertained a feeling of personal ill-will against him.

Be this as it may, Reilly wended his melancholy way homewards, and had got within less than a quarter of a mile of his own house when he was met by Fergus in his mendicant habit, who startled him by the information he disclosed.
"Where are you bound for, Mr.Reilly ?" said the latter.
"For home," replied Reilly, "in order to secure my money and the papers connected with the family property." "Well, then," said the other, "if you go home now you are a lost man." "How is that ?" asked Reilly.
"Your house at this moment is filled with sogers, and surrounded by them too.

You know that no human being could make me out in this disguise; I had heard that they were on their way to your place, and afeered that they might catch you at home, I was goin' to let you know, in ordher that you might escape them, but I was too late; the villains were there before me.

I took heart o' grace, however, and went up to beg a little charity for the love and honor of God.

Seem' the kind of creature I was, they took no notice of me; for to tell you the truth, they were too much bent on searchin' for, and findin' you.