About twelve o'clock
They keenly and bitterly felt the scourge of the oppressor , who , under the sanction , and in the name of those laws which ought to have protected them , left scarcely anything undone to drive them to desperation ; and now finding that the law existed only for their punishment , they resolved to legislate for themselves , and retaliate on their oppressor . There is an awful lesson in all this ; for it is certainly a frightful thing to see law and justice so partially and iniquitously administered as to disorganize society , and to make men look upon murder as an act of justice , and the shedding of blood as a moral triumph , if not a moral virtue . When , therefore , the very little conversation which took place among them , and that little in so low a tone , is placed in connection with the dark and deadly object of their meeting , it is no wonder that one can not help feeling strangely and fearfully on contemplating it . About twelve o'clock they were all assembled but one individual , whom they appeared to expect , and for whom they looked out eagerly . Indeed they all came to a unanimous resolution of doing nothing that pertained to the business of the night until he should come . For this purpose they had not to wait long . A little past twelve a tall and powerful young man entered , leading by the hand poor insane Mary O'Regan -- his pitiable and unconscious mother .