nful eyes rested dejectedly upon Larry. "And what's
more, they don't trust you!"

"They're perfectly right," said Larry; "shows their sense! You and I
are what Father Greer and the rest of them would consider rotten bad
Catholics, and I believe they know it!" He got up from the limping old
rocking-chair and stretched himself, with a yawn that prolonged itself
into a howl. "Oh Dark Rosaleen!--or Kathleen-ni-Houlihan--or anything
else you like to call yourself--if you only knew how really and
sincerely devoted I am to you! I believe I'm a perfectly single-minded
Irish patriot, and ye you won't believe in me, and no more will any
one else except this bloody old fool of a Barty here! Barry my hearty,
I'm going to bed! I'm done! Don't wake me till the news comes in--"
He gave vent to another heart-broken yawn.

"Well, for God's sake stop howling like a banshee, and go!" replied
the hard-pressed Barty, "I'm about done myself!"

The opening Meet of the Broadwater Vale Hounds chanced to take place
at Cluhir Bridge, on the day after the election. Larry, finishing a
late breakfast at Hallinan's Hotel, heard the beloved sounds of the
hunt, the pistol-cracks of the whips, the clatter of horse-hoofs, the
jingle of bits, and the steady paddling of hounds' feet in the muddy
street. Joined with these was the clamour of the town curs and the
thunder of the following rush of town boys along Cluhir's narrow
pavements. Larry ran to the window, and opening it, found himself
practically face to face with young Georgy Talbot-Lowry, riding a
horse of Bill Kirby's.

The sight of the hounds drove from his mind the resolve to have no
dealings more with the house of Talbot-Lowry.

"Hullo, Georgy!" he shouted: "I didn't know you were home--"

Georgy gave a quick look at the window, and directed his gaze between
his horse's ears; save that his face had turned as red as his coat,
there was nothing, as he jogged on, to indicate that he had either
seen or heard.

Larry banged down the window, in a state of conflagration, every
strained nerve vibrating. What need to attempt to recount what he said
or thought? Dark Rosaleen has made trouble often enough between nearer
and dearer than Larry and his young cousin. She will send brothers to
fight each other to the changing music of her harp, crowned and
uncrowned; she will gather her sons under the sign of the Cross, and
encourage them to hate one another for the love of God. This was only
a trivial