suffered him to come here; under your protection, too. May God forgive
me for it! The room is too close--I feel unwell--pray open the door."

"Will there be no risk, sir, in leaving the door open?" said the
baronet.

"None in the world! I have sent the servants all to bed nearly an hour
ago. Indeed, the fact is, they are seldom up so late, unless when I have
company."

Sir Robert then opened the door--that is to say, he left it a little
more than ajar, and returning again took his seat.

"Don't let the sight of me frighten you, sir," said the Rapparee. "I
never was your enemy nor intended you harm."

"Frighten me!" replied the courageous old squire; "no, sir, I am not a
man very easily frightened; but I will confess that the sight of you has
sickened me and filled me with horror."

"Well, now, Mr. Folliard," said the baronet, "let this matter, this
misunderstanding, this mistake, or rather this deep and diabolical plot
on the part of the Jesuit, Reilly, be at once cleared up. We wish, that
is to say I wish, to prevent your good nature from being played upon by
a designing villain. Now, O'Donnel, relate, or rather disclose, candidly
and truly, all that took place with respect to this damnable plot
between you and Reilly."

"Why, the thing, sir," said the Rapparee, addressing himself to the
squire, "is very plain and simple; but, Sir Robert, it was not a plot