Among the occupants of Mrs. O’Regan’s house was a young man named Jennings, apparently possessing more than ordinary intelligence, and, the afternoon of McKenna’s arrival, knowing he was a stranger, this sociable person proposed to show his new-found friend the sights to be seen in the city. McKenna accepted the offer, and the two started out, not intending to be long absent. During the visits made to different places, of course the saloons were not omitted, and both of the men drank somewhat, but no more than to them seemed respectable and companionable. The operative was introduced by Jennings to a number of his intimate associates and friends, but met none of those with whom he was anxious to open communication. As they were on Center Street, passing quietly along, the stranger read a sign over the door of a liquor store, or tavern, “Pat. Dormer,” and said “Let’s go in here!” “Its no place for us,” answered Jennings. “You are not of ‘the stuff,’ I guess! At least, I know _I_ am not!” “‘The stuff!’ Phat is it ye mane by ‘the stuff’?” “Come away, across the street, and I’ll tell you! Its not the safe or proper thing to be conversing of such things so near this particular house!” So saying, Jennings led the way to another corner, where the young men stopped, well out of the sweep of the wind, in the lee of a large building, and the conversation was at once resumed by Jennings: “Dormer is a _captain_!” “Captain of a militia company, is it ye mane?” “No! That’s not it! I believe that you are a good sort of a fellow, and I think I may venture to warn you—yet I want you to promise me never to repeat what I say. It might lead to trouble!” “Av coorse, I’ll be as silent as the catacombs of Agypt! Niver you fear Jim McKenna fur that, sure!” “You must understand, then, that Pat Dormer is a captain of the Sleepers!” “One of the notorious sivin, we rade about, is he? Indade, an’ I supposed they were all kilt entirely, more’n thirteen hundred years ago!” “No! Not one of that number, but of the great secret order, here called the Sleepers!’ “An’ phat are the Slapers? Plaze to explain it—or is it another conundrum you are after axin’ me?” “The Sleepers are the Mollie Maguires! There’s a heap of them in this district, and Dormer is, or was, an officer high in authority in the organization. You’ve certainly heard of the society?” “Sure, an’ I hev heard much about them in the ould counthry! But nothing till America! Are you sure they’ve ever crossed the say?” “They have, and there are thousands of them in this and some adjoining counties. If you stop here awhile you’ll read about some of their work! They do not rest long without doing something in the way of murder or outrage!”