e you,' said
Miller, addressing him in a low but eager tone. 'I could never--no Irishman
could--ally himself to an administration which should sacrifice the Holy
See. With the bigotry that prevails in England, the question requires most
delicate handling; and even a pledge cannot be given except in language so
vague and unprecise as to admit of many readings.'

'Why not bring in a Bill to give him a subsidy, a something per annum, or a
round sum down?' cried Gorman.

'Mr. Miller has just shown us that Exeter Hall might become dangerous.
English intolerance is not a thing to be rashly aroused.'

'If I had to deal with him, I'd do as Bright proposed with your landlords
here. I'd buy him out, give him a handsome sum for his interest, and let
him go.'

'And how would you deal with the Church, sir?' asked the priest.

'I have not thought of that; but I suppose one might put it into
commission, as they say, or manage it by a Board, with a First Lord, like
the Admiralty.'

'I will give you some tea, gentlemen, when you appear in the drawing-room,'
said Miss Betty, rising with dignity, as though her condescension in
sitting so long with the party had been ill rewarded by her nephew's
sentiments.

The priest, however, offered his arm, and the others followed as he left
the room.

CHAPTER XXXIX

AN EARLY GALLOP

Mathew Kearney had risen early, an unusual thing with him of late; but he
had some intention of showing his guest Mr. Walpole over the farm after
breakfast, and was anxious to give some preliminary orders to have
everything 'ship-shape' for the inspection.

To make a very disorderly and much-neglected Irish farm assume an air of
discipline, regularity, and neatness at a moment's notice, was pretty much
such an exploit as it would have been to muster an Indian tribe, and pass
them before some Prussian martinet as a regiment of guards.

To make the ill-fenced and misshapen fields seem trim paddocks, wavering
and serpentining furrows appear straight and regular lines of tillage,
weed-grown fields look marvels of cleanliness and care, while the lounging
and ragged population were to be passed off as a thriving and industrious
peasantry, well paid and contented, were difficulties that Mr. Kearney did
not propose to confront. Indeed, to do him justice, he thought there was
a good deal of pedantic and 'model-farming' humbug about all that English
passion for neatness he had read of in public journals, and