single exception, have heard nothing but sentiments of loyalty and
attachment to the church."

"Well, I only hope you don't mean to prolong your stay here. I'm sure
you have done enough for any ordinary call of conscience, and, if
you have not, set about it in right earnest--convert the tens into
hundreds--make them all as comfortable as possible--and then, in
heaven's name, get back again to England. There is no earthly reason why
you should pass your time here; and as for Sybella----"

"Don't include me, Fred, in your reasons for departure. I never was so
happy in my life."

"There, boy--there's an example for you; and if you need another, here
am I, ready to confess the same thing. I don't mean that there are not
little dampers and difficulties. There's that fool about the mill-wheel,
and that fellow that persists in dragging the river with a net;" and
so he muttered on for some minutes beneath his teeth, to the evident
enjoyment of Fred, whose quivering lip and laughing eye told how he
appreciated the conflicting evidence memory was eliciting.

Thus, for some time, the conversation continued, until Miss Travers
retired for the night. Then, Sir Marmaduke drew his chair closer to
his son's, and, in an earnest manner, related the whole circumstance
of Sybella's escape from the mountain torrent--dwelling with grateful
eloquence on the young O'Donoghue's heroism in coming to her rescue.
"The youth has narrowly escaped with his life. The doctor, who left this
but a few hours ago, said 'he never witnessed a more dangerous case than
the symptoms at one time presented.' He is well, however, now--the risk
is past--and I want your aid, Fred, to devise some suitable mode of
evincing our gratitude.'

"These O'Donoghues are your tenants--are they not?" asked the young man.

"Yes, they are tenants; but on that score we must not say much in their
favour. Wylie tells me that they have been at feud with Hems-worth for
years past--they neither pay rent, nor will they surrender possession.
The whole thing is a difficult matter to understand; first of all, there
is a mortgage----"

"There, there, my dear father, don't puzzle my brain and your own with
a statement we'll never get to the end of. The point I want to learn is,
they are your tenants----"

"Yes, at least for part of the land they occupy. There is a
dispute about another portion; but I believe Hemsworth has got the
Attorney-General's opinion, that their case cannot st