He
thought that, considering the serious nature of the charge preferred
against young O'Rorke, he exhibited an apathy under it, that did not
altogether argue innocence. Some unsettled suspicions entered his mind,
but not with sufficient force to fix with certainty upon any of those
present, except Nell and Nanse M'Collum who had absconded. If Nell
were the woman's mother, her anxiety to bring the criminal to justice
appeared very natural. Then, again, young O'Rorke's father, who seemed
to know the history of Nell M'Collum, denied that she ever had a
daughter. How could he be certain that she had not, without knowing her
private life thoroughly? These circumstances appeared rather strange, if
not altogether incomprehensible; so much so, indeed, that he thought
it necessary, before they separated, to speak with O'Rorke's family in
private. Having expressed a wish to this effect, he dismissed the
other parties, except Nell, whom he intended to keep confined until the
discovery of her niece.
"Pray," said he to the father of our humble hero, "how do you know,
O'Rorke, that Nell M'Collum never had a daughter?"
"Right well, your honor. I knew her since she was a child; an' from that
day to this she was never six months from this town at a time. No, no--a
son she had, but a daughter she never had."
"Let me ask you, young man, on what business were you abroad last night?
I expect you will answer me candidly?"
"It's no matther," replied young Lamh Laudher gloomily, "my character's
gone.
Pages:
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66