252 A YEAR OF liberty; or, 



along the south-eastern horizon. Alas ! I did not, and my heart sank 

 within me ; but what was the use of confessing my ignorance to one 

 equally ignorant ? With a stout assumption of superior knowledge, 

 with a feeble "all right," and an invitation to "come along," we 

 struck into the swamp, whilst the darkness rapidly settled down, 

 making doubt more than doubtful. 



" Holloa ! stop ; holloa ! there." What a delight to hear a voice 

 besides our own. Facing quickly round we saw a horseman strug- 

 gling through the bog, and presently recognised the brave, kindly 



face of Father T . " At what hour do you expect to reach 



Glen ties ?" he said, laughing, "for it seems you are going there. 

 Bryan told me you were out, and that he had not seen you leave the 

 river. Knowing what a stubborn heretic you are, I expected you 

 would wait to the last, and perhaps come to grief in the darkness, 

 so I rode up to look after you. Give me the bag ; we have not a 

 minute to lose ; take hold of a stirrup leather, and Barney, may be, 

 he'll pull us all through." 



Cold, drenched to the skin, weary, and half famished, I held on, 

 sinking midway to the knees in the wet moss at every step. The 

 good steed showed himself worthy of his charitable master, and after 

 half an hour's floundering brought us to a high bank, outside which 

 lay the high road to Mount Charles. 



The long, single street of the village was reached at last. Here 

 and there a solitary "dip " made darkness visible in some huckster's 

 window, and, oh ! how I rejoiced when that good Christian Father 



T flung open the door of his hospitable dwelling, and sent the 



bright firelight streaming across the dark and reeking road. My 

 friend's charity was of ample measure. " Do as you would be done 

 by " was his rule of action, and all he had to give he gave. Bread 

 and cheese were at once set before the famished wayfarers. Next 

 a bottle of sherrry was produced, and dexterously decapitated by a 

 single blow. A full tumbler of the generous fluid was filled for 

 each of his guests, and a scant modicum taken by the host. But 

 his real kindness did not end here. "No, no," he said, "no sitting. 

 Tou are too wet for that. Another glass, take my horse, and 



