“But what am I to do about the cows? Sure, I can't go back widout either thim or the rint?” said Frank, with a look of fear and trembling at Jemmy. “The cows!” said another of the widow's sons who then came in; “why, you dirty spalpeen of a rip, you may whistle on the wrong side o' your mouth for them. I druv them off of the estate; an' now take them, if you dar! It's conthrairy to law,” said the urchin; “an' if you'd touch them, I'd make my mudher sarve you wid a _lattitat_ or _fiery-flashes_.” This was a triumph to the youngsters, who, began to shake their little fists at him, and to exclaim in a chorus--“Ha, you dirty rip! wait till we get you out o' the house, an' if we don't put you from ever drivin'! Why, but you work like another!--ha, you'll get it!”--and every little fist was shook in vengeance at him. “Whist wid ye,” said Jemmy to the little ones; “let him alone, he got enough. There's the cows for you; an keen may the curse o' the widow an' orphans light upon you, and upon them that sent you, from first to last!--an' that's the best we wish you!” “Frank,” said Owen to the bailiff, “is there any one in the town below that will take the rint, an' give a resate for it? Do you think, man, that the neighbors of an honest, industrious woman 'ud see the cattle taken out of her byre for a thrifle? Hut tut! no, man alive--no sich thing! There's not a man in the parish, wid manes to do it, would see them taken away to be canted, at only about a fourth part of their value. Hut, tut,--no!” As the sterling fellow spoke, the cheeks of the widow were suffused with tears, and her son Jemmy's hollow eyes once more kindled, but with a far different expression from that which but a few minutes before flashed from them. “Owen,” said he, and utterance nearly failed him: “Owen, if I was well it wouldn't be as it is wid us; but--no, indeed it would not; but--may God bless you for this! Owen, never fear but you'll be paid; may God bless you, Owen!” As he spoke the hand of his humble benefactor was warmly grasped in his. A tear fell upon it: for with one of those quick and fervid transitions of feeling so peculiar to the people, he now felt a strong, generous emotion of gratitude, mingled, perhaps, with a sense of wounded pride, on finding the poverty of their little family so openly exposed.