“Difficulty! God help you; there is not an individual among them, or throughout the whole parish, with whose persons, circumstances, and characters I am not acquainted; but even if it were not so, I could make them give me unconsciously the very information they want--returned to them, of course, in a new shape. I make them state the facts, and I draw the inferences; nothing is easier; it is a trick that every impostor is master of. How do you proceed with Miss Goodwin?” “That matter is hopeless by fair means--she's in love with that d----d brother of mine.” “No chance of the property, then?” “Not as affairs stand at present; we must, however, maintain our intimacy; if so, I won't despair yet.” “But what do you intend to do? If she marries your brother the property goes to him--and you may go whistle.” “I don't give it up, though--I bear a brain still, I think; but the truth is, I have not completed my plan of operations. What I am to do, I know not yet exactly. If I could break off the match between her and my brother, she might probably, through the influence of her parents and other causes, he persuaded into a reluctant marriage with Harry Woodward; time, however, will tell, and I must only work my way through the difficulty as well as I can. I will now leave you, and I don't think I shall be able to see you again for a week to come.” “Before you go let me ask if you know a vagabond called Ranting Rody, who goes about through the country living no one knows how?” “No, I do not know him; what is he?” “He's nothing except a paramour of Caterine Collins's, who, you know, is a rival of ours; nobody here knows anything about him, whilst he, it appears, knows every one and everything.” “He would make a good conjurer,” replied Woodward, smiling. “If the fellow could be depended on,” replied the other, “he might be useful; in fact, I am of opinion that if he wished he could trace _Shawn-na-Middogue's_ haunts. The scoundrel attempted just now to impose upon me in the dress of a woman, and, were it not that I knew him so well, he might have got my beard stripped from my face, and my bones broken besides; but I feel confident that if any one could trace and secure the outlaw, he could--I mean with proper assistance. Think of this.” “I shall find him out,” replied Woodward, “and sound him, at all events, and I think through Caterine Collins I may possibly secure him; but we must be cautious. Good-by; I wish you success!” After which he passed through the crowd, exclaiming, “A wonderful man--an astonishing man--and a fearful man; that is if he be a man, which I very much doubt.” CHAPTER XII. Fortune-telling