hough they were drinking potheen, and though Ussher might,
doubtless, have put a fine of from five to fifty pounds on the priest
for doing so, Father John knew that he was safe. It was at that time
considered that no revenue officer would notice potheen if he met it,
as a guest. People are rather more careful now on the matter.

"Oh, Father John, I never bring my government taster with me when I
am not on service; but if you've any charity, give me an air of the
fire and a drop of what's going forward, all for love. How are you,
Father Cullen?" and he shook hands with the curate. "How are you,
Thady, old boy?" and he slapped Macdermot on the back as though they
were the best friends in the world.

"How are you, Captain Ussher?" said the former, sitting down again
as though the Captain's salutation were a signal for him to do so,
and as if he did not dare do it before. Nor would he. Father Cullen
had been told that he should stand up when strangers came into a
room,--that it was a point of etiquette; and there he would have
stood, though it had been ten minutes, if Ussher had not addressed
him.

Thady did not get up at all; in fact, he did not know what to do or
to say. He had been waiting anxiously, hoping that Father Cullen
would go, and now the difficulties in his way were more than doubled.

Captain Ussher, however, took no notice of his silence; but, sitting
down by Father John, began rubbing and warming his hands at the fire.

"Well, may I be d----d--begging your reverence's pardon--if this
isn't as cold a night as I'd wish to be out in, and as dark as my
hat. I say, Thady, this'll be the night for the boys to be running
a drop of the stuff; there'd be no seeing the smoke now, anyhow. I
was dining early at Carrick, and was getting away home as quick as I
could, and my mare threw a shoe, luckily just opposite the forge down
there; so I walked up here, Father John, and I told them to bring the
mare up when she's shod."

"I'm glad the mare made herself so agreeable. Come, Judy, another
tumbler here. By the by, then, Cullen, you must take to a tea-cup
like myself--you're used to it; and Captain Ussher, you must take
brown sugar in your punch, though you are not used to it. If I could
make lump sugar for you, I'd do it myself directly."

"Oh, what's the odds! I'm so cold I shan't feel it;" and without any
apology, he took poor Father Cullen's tumbler, who emptied the rest
of his punch into a tea-cup.

"Well, T