"What is this, Bryan?" said the latter. "Can it be possible that you're
in for the Fine, as report goes?"
"It's quite possible," replied Bryan; "on yesterday I got a notice of
proceedings from the Board of Excise."
"But," pursued his friend, "what devil could have tempted you to have
anything to do with illicit distillation? Didn't you know the danger of
it?"
"I had no more to do with it," replied Bryan, "than you had--nor I don't
even rightly know yet who had; though, indeed, I believe I may say it
was these vagabonds, the Hogans, that has their hands in everything
that's wicked and disgraceful. They would ruin me if they could," said
Bryan, "and I suppose it was with the hope of doing so that they set up
the still where they did."
"Well, now," replied Hycy, with an air of easy and natural generosity,
"I should be sorry to think so: they are d--d scoundrels, or rather
common ruffians, I grant you; but still, Bryan, I don't like to suspect
even such vagabonds without good grounds. Bad as we know them to be, I
have my doubts whether they are capable of setting about such an act
for the diabolical purpose of bringing you to ruin. Perhaps they merely
deemed the place on your farm a convenient one to build a still-house
in, and that they never thought further about it."
"Or what," replied Bryan, "if there was some one behind their backs who
is worse than themselves? Mightn't sich a thing as that be possible?"
"True," replied Hycy, "true, indeed--that's not improbable.
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