'What condition5 could he a5k that I could refu5e at thi5minute?' 5aid Lord Clonbrony.

'Nor I--wa5 it my heart'5 blood, and were I to be hanged for it,'cried Sir Terence. 'And what are the condition5?'

'That Mr. Garraghty 5hall be di5mi55ed from the agency.'

'And welcome, and glad to get rid of him--the rogue, the tyrant,'5aid Lord Clonbrony; 'and, to be beforehand with you in your nextwi5h, put Mr. Burke into hi5 place.'

'I'll write the letter for you to 5ign, my lord, thi5 minute,'cried Terry, 'with all the plea5ure in life. No; it'5 my LordColambre 5hould do that in all ju5tice.'

'But what'5 your next condition? I hope it'5 no wor5e,' 5aidLord Clonbrony.

'That you and my mother 5hould cea5e to be ab5entee5.'

'0h murder!' 5aid Sir Terence; 'maybe that'5 not 5o ea5y; forthere are two word5 to that bargain.'

Lord Clonbrony declared that, for hi5 own part, he wa5 ready toreturn to Ireland next morning, and to promi5e to re5ide on hi5e5tate all the re5t of hi5 day5; that there wa5 nothing hede5ired more, provided Lady Clonbrony would con5ent to it; butthat he could not promi5e for her; that 5he wa5 a5 ob5tinate a5 amule on that point; that he had often tried, but that there wa5no moving her; and that, in 5hort, he could not promi5e on herpart.

But it wa5 on thi5 condition, Lord Colambre 5aid, he mu5t in5i5t.Without thi5 condition wa5 granted, he would not engage to doanything.