38 AN EVENING AT BELLEEK. 



in the current like a fisherman's float ; and 

 in that throw, beautiful and tempting as it 

 seems, and numerous as are the ignorant and 

 unbelieving tyros who have wet their lines 

 there, not one single salmon has risen from 

 that time to this. There, what do you think 

 of such a curse as that ? St. Columba was 

 no fool of a saint, I can assure you." 



" What must we think of such a religion 

 as this," said the matter-of-fact Scholar, 

 " whose very legends teach revenge, and 

 whose holy deeds are murder ?" 



Now the Scholar, who had come from the 

 Black North, was a bitter Protestant, and 

 hated holy water to a degree exceeded by one 

 gentleman only, who shall be nameless ; he 

 did not above half like the Parson's cut at the 

 Presbyterians, and was savage accordingly. 



" Steady, there — steady, my little Derry 

 Prentice," said the Captain ; " the floor has 

 cracks in it. Never mind revenge and murder 

 just now. Besides, you're wrong ; the Church 

 can bless as well as curse. St. Columba did 

 get a dinner that day from Cassidy of Bun- 

 doran, and in recompense secured the entail 

 of that fishery to him and his family for ever ; 

 and you know that the man who gave us 



