be judge between us.
We were discussing the advantages of contrasting our home with other
countries----'

'Ahem! A very difficult point,' said the priest, interrupting her, and
drawing himself up with a great air of judicial importance. '_Ubi bene,
ibi patria_--which may be rendered, "There's potatoes everywhere." Not
that I incline to the doctrine myself. Ireland is the only enjoyable
country I know of. _Utamur creatura, dum possumus_--that means "a
moderate use of creature comforts," Miss Louisa. But, troth, I'm
so heated with an argument I had with Sir Simon, that I'm no ways
competent---- Did I tell you he was waiting for his tea?'

'No, indeed you did not,' said Miss Bellew, giving vent to a laugh she
had been struggling against for the last few minutes; and which I did
not at the moment know was caused by her perceiving the priest's air of
chagrin and discontent, the evident proofs of his being worsted by the
old baronet, whose chief pleasure in life was to worry the father into a
discussion, and either confuse or confute him. 'My father seems in such
good spirits to-night! Don't you think so?' said she roguishly, looking
over at the priest.

'Never saw him better; quite lively and animated, and'--dropping his
voice to a whisper---'as obstinate as ever.'

As we entered the house we found Sir Simon walking leisurely up and down
the drawing-room, with his hands behind his back, his face radiant with
smiles, and his eye gleaming with conscious triumph towards the corner
where the priest stood tumbling over some books to conceal his sense of
defeat. In a few minutes after we were seated round the tea-table; the
little cloud was dispelled, and a happier party it was difficult to
imagine.

CHAPTER XXXVIII. ST. SENAN'S WELL

How shall I trace this, the happiest period of my life, when days and
weeks rolled on and left no trace behind, save in that delicious calm
that stole over my senses gradually and imperceptibly! Each morning saw
me on my way to Castle Bellew. The mountain path that led up from the
little strand was well worn by my footsteps; I knew its every turn and
winding; scarcely a dog-rose bloomed along the way with which I had not
grown familiar. And how each object spoke to my heart! For I was happy.
The clouds that moved above, the rippling tide that flowed beneath, the
sunny shore, the shady thicket, were all to me as though I had known
them from boyhood. For so it is, in our glad moments we c