'Give us the land all round at the Government valuation,' said a man in the middle of the group. 'Why, you are only fifteen per cent. above the valuation,' cried Mr. Scully. For a moment this seemed to create a difference of opinion among the peasants; but the League had drawn them too firmly together to be thus easily divided. They talked amongst themselves in Irish. Then the old man said: 'We can't take less than thirty, yer honour. The Lague wouldn't let us.' 'I can't give you more than twenty.' 'Thin let us come on home, thin; no use us wasting our toime here,' cried a sturdy peasant, who, although he had spoken but seldom, seemed to exercise an authority over the others. With one accord they followed him; but, rushing forward, Mr. Scully seized him by the arm, saying: 'Now then, boys, come back, come back; he'll settle with you right enough if you'll listen to reason.' From the drawing-room window Mrs. Barton watched the conflict. On one side she saw her daughter's beautiful white face becoming the prize of a penniless officer; on the other she saw the pretty furniture, the luxurious idleness, the very silk dress on her back, being torn from them, and distributed among a crowd of Irish-speaking, pig-keeping peasants. She could see that some new and important point was being argued; and it was with a wrench she detached her thoughts from the pantomime that was being enacted within her view, and, turning to Captain Hibbert, said: 'You see--you see what is happening. We are--that is to say, we may be--ruined at any moment by this wicked agitation. As I have said before, there is no one I should like so much as yourself; but, in the face of such a future, how could I consent to give you my daughter?--that is to say, I could not unless you could settle at least a thousand a year upon her. She has been brought up in every luxury.' 'That may be, Mrs. Barton. I hope to give her quite as comfortable a home as any she has been accustomed to. But a thousand a year is impossible. I haven't got it. But I can settle five hundred on her, and there's many a peeress of the realm who hasn't that. Of course five hundred a year is very little. No one feels it more than I. For had I the riches of the world, I should not consider them sufficient to create a place worthy of Olive's beauty. But love must be allowed to count for something, and I think--yes, I can safely say--she will never find--' 'Yes, I know--I am sure; but it cannot be.' 'Then you mean to say that you will sacrifice your daughter's happiness for the sake of a little wretched pride?' 'Why press the matter further? Why cannot we remain friends?' 'Friends! Yes, I hope we shall remain friends; but I will never consent to give up Olive. She loves me. I know she does. My life is bound up in hers. No, I'll never consent to give her up, and I know she won't give me up.'