white and cowardly laughs. Well, you know that there is not a neglected
estate in the country but can produce another vulture like yourself,
playing the same heartless pranks upon the poor people--tying,
misrepresenting, swaggering over and robbing them, and that, too, in the
open face of day, merely because you think there is no one to bring you
to an account.

"Now go home," he added, "and when next you want to get a wife for your
spanking son, that's likely to become a squireen upon our hands, don't
come to Brian M'Loughlin, who knows you from the paring of the nails to
the core of the heart."

M'Glutchy looked at him and laughed again; "before you go, at all
events," he replied, "I hope you remember the observation I made when I
introduced the discourse."

"I can't say I do," said M'Loughlin, "but I suppose you will let us hear
it."

"I will," replied Val, and his brow darkened as before. "It was
this--your farm and mine lie very snugly together--observe, I said,
'_that's what I begin with_'--didn't I say that?"

"You did, and now what else do you say?"

"The very same thing--that _your farm, and mine lie snugly
together_--and mark me, Mr. M'Loughlin--"

"I do--oh, upon my credit I do--ha, ha, ha!"