I'm thinkin' now, that if you met a party of peelers on pathrole, they might give you a resate for turnin' the same color red and white; however, _glunthoma_, (* Hear me) if you have any design upon the Cannie Soogah, I can only tell you that I never carry money about me, and even if I did, I have a couple o' friends here that 'ud standby me; ay, in throth, three o' them, for I have brother to this fellow (showing the pistol) asleep in my breast here, and he doesn't like to be wakened, you persave; so whoever you are, jog on and wash your face, as I said, and that's a friend's advice' to you." "Why, Cannie Soogah, is it possible you don't know me ?" "Throth I've been just thinkin' that I heard the voice before, but when or where is more than I can tell." "Not know your friend Francis M'Carthy ?" "Eh, Mr.Francis M'Carthy! and, Lord o' life, Mr.M'Carthy, how do you come to have a black face?
Surely you wouldn't belong to this business--black business I may call it--that's goin' ?" "Well, I should hope not, Cannie; but, for all that, you see me with a black face--ha!--ha!--ha!" "I do indeed, Mr.Frank, and, between you and me, I'm sorry to see it." "You will not be sorry to hear, however, that my black face saved my life last night." "Arra thin, how was that, sir, if it's a fair question ?" M'Carthy then gave him a brief, and by no means a detailed account of the danger he had passed.
"Well," said the other, "everything's clear enough when it's known; but, as it's clear that you have enemies in the neighborhood, I think the wisest thing you could do would be to lave it at wanst." "Such, in fact, is my determination," replied M'Carthy; "no man, I believe, who is marked ought to remain in the country; that is, when he has no local duties that demand his presence in it, as I have not." "You are right, sir; start this very day if you're wise, and don't give your enemies--since it appears that you have enemies--an opportunity of doin' you an injury; if they missed you twice, it's not likely they will a third time; but tell me, Mr.M'Carthy--hem--have you no suspicion as to who they are ?" "Not exactly; indeed I cannot say I have; the whole matter is shrouded in the deepest mystery.

I am not conscious of having offended or injured any one, nor can I guess why my life should be sought after; but sought after unquestionably it is, and that with an implacable resentment that is utterly unaccountable." "Well, then, Mr.Frank, listen:--I met about a dozen men--strangers they wor to me, although their faces weren't blackened--not more than twenty minutes ago; and one, o' them said to me, 'Cannie, every one knows' you, and you know every one--do you know me ?'" "'No,' says I; 'you have the advantage of me.' "'Do you know any one here ?' says he again.
"'Well, I can't say I do,' says I; 'you don't belong to this part of the country.' "'If we did, Cannie,' said the spokesman, 'it isn't face to face, in the open day, we'd spake to you.' "'An' what is it you have to say to me ?' I axed; for, to tell you the truth, I was beginnin' to get unaisy someway.
"'Nothing to you; but we've been tould that you're well acquainted wid Procthor Purcel, and that you know a young man, by name M'Carthy, that stops for the present wid Mr.Magistrate O'Driscol.' "'I do,' says myself; 'I'll not deny but I know them all well--I mane in the way o' business--for I call there often to sell my goods.' "'Well,' said the spokesman, 'will you give that letther,' handin' me this, 'to Mr.M'Carthy ?'" and as the pedlar spoke he placed the note in M'Carthy's hands.

"'Do so,' says the fellow, 'as soon as you can--if possible, widout an hour's delay.

It consarns himself and it consarns me--can I depend on you to do this ?' I said I would: and now there's the letther---my message is delivered." M'Carthy read as follows:--"Francis M'Carthy, as you regard the life of the man that saved yours last night, you won't breathe a syllable about seein' a young man's corpse last night in the shebeen-house, nor about anything that happened to you in it, till you hear further from me.

If you're grateful, and a gintleman, you won't; but if you're a traitor, you will.