.

-- Pity and Remorse.
The public mind, though often obtuse and stupid in many matters, is in others sometimes extremely acute and penetrating.

For some years previous to the time laid in our tale, the family of Condy Dalton began to decline very perceptibly in their circumstances.

There had been unpropitious seasons; there had been failure of crops and disease among the cattle--and, perhaps what was the worst scourge of all, there existed a bad landlord in the person of Dick-o'-the-Grange.

So long, however, as they continued prosperous, their known principles of integrity and strict truth caused them to be well spoken of and respected, in spite of the imputation which had been made against them as touching the murder of Sullivan.