ed a guarded and cautious
approval of Mr. Miller's views, and secretly instructed Father Delany to
learn as much more as he conveniently could of the learned gentleman's
intentions before committing himself to a pledge of hearty support.

'I will give him a good dinner,' said Miss O'Shea, 'and some of the '45
claret, and if you cannot get his sentiments out of him after that, I wash
my hands of him.'

Father Delany accepted his share of the task, and assuredly Miss Betty did
not fail on her part.

The conversation had turned principally on the coming election, and Mr.
Miller gave a flourishing account of his success as a canvasser, and even
went the length of doubting if any opposition would be offered to him.

'Ain't you and young Kearney going on the same ticket?' asked Gorman, who
was too new to Ireland to understand the nice distinctions of party.

'Pardon me,' said Miller, 'we differ essentially. _We_ want a government in
Ireland--the Nationalists want none. _We_ desire order by means of timely
concessions and judicious boons to the people. They want disorder--the
display of gross injustice--content to wait for a scramble, and see what
can come of it.'

'Mr. Miller's friends, besides,' interposed Father Luke, 'would defend
the Church and protect the Holy See'--and this was said with a
half-interrogation.

Miller coughed twice, and said, 'Unquestionably. We have shown our hand
already--look what we have done with the Established Church.'

'You need not be proud of it,' cried Miss Betty. 'If you wanted to get rid
of the crows, why didn't you pull down the rookery?'

'At least they don't caw so loud as they used,' said the priest, smiling;
and Miller exchanged delighted glances with him for his opinion.

'I want to be rid of them, root and branch,' said Miss Betty.

'If you will vouchsafe us, ma'am, a little patience. Rome was not built in
a day. The next victory of our Church must be won by the downfall of the
English establishment. Ain't I right, Father Luke?'

'I am not quite clear about that,' said the priest cautiously. 'Equality is
not the safe road to supremacy.'

'What was that row over towards Croghan Castle this morning?' asked Gorman,
who was getting wearied with a discussion he could not follow. 'I saw the
constabulary going in force there this afternoon.'

'They were in pursuit of the celebrated Dan Donogan,' said Father Luke.
'They say he was seen at Moate.'

'They say more than that,' s