‘To be sure I did, and we are fast friends already; but let me go on with my narrative. Some excitement, some show of disturbance at Cruhan, persuaded him that what he called--I don’t know why--the Crowbar Brigade was at work and that the people were about to be turned adrift on the world by the landlord, and hearing a wild shout from the village, he insisted on going back to learn what it might mean. He had not left me long, when your late steward, Gill, came up with several policemen, to search for the convict Donogan. They had a warrant to apprehend him, and some information as to where he had been housed and sheltered.’ ‘Here--with us?’ ‘Here--with you! Gill knew it all. This, then, was the reason for that excitement we had seen in the village--the people had heard the police were coming, but for what they knew not; of course the only thought was for their own trouble.’ ‘Has he escaped? Is he safe?’ ‘Safe so far, that I last saw him on the wide bog, some eight miles away from any human habitation; but where he is to turn to, or who is to shelter him, I cannot say.’ ‘He told you there was a price upon his head?’ ‘Yes, a few hundred pounds, I forget how much, but he asked me this morning if I did not feel tempted to give him up and earn the reward.’ Kate leaned her head upon her hand, and seemed lost in thought. ‘They will scarcely dare to come and search for him here,’ said she; and, after a pause, added, ‘And yet I suspect that the chief constable, Mr. Curtis, owes, or thinks he owes, us a grudge: he might not be sorry to pass this slight upon papa.’ And she pondered for some time over the thought. ‘Do you think he can escape?’ asked Nina eagerly. ‘Who, Donogan?’ ‘Of course--Donogan.’ ‘Yes, I suspect he will: these men have popular feeling with them, even amongst many who do not share their opinions. Have you lived long enough amongst us, Nina, to know that we all hate the law? In some shape or other it represents to the Irish mind a tyranny.’ ‘You are Greeks without their acuteness,’ said Nina. ‘I’ll not say that,’ said Kate hastily. ‘It is true I know nothing of your people, but I think I could aver that for a shrewd calculation of the cost of a venture, for knowing when caution and when daring will best succeed, the Irish peasant has scarcely a superior anywhere.’ ‘I have heard much of his caution this very morning,’ said Nina superciliously. ‘You might have heard far more of his recklessness, if Donogan cared to tell of it,’ said Kate, with irritation. ‘It is not English squadrons and batteries he is called alone to face, he has to meet English gold, that tempts poverty, and English corruption, that begets treachery and betrayal. The one stronghold of the Saxon here is the informer, and mind, I, who tell you this, am no rebel. I would rather live under English law, if English law would not ignore Irish feeling, than I’d accept that Heaven knows what of a government Fenianism could give us.’