one dense mass of black, illuminated only at intervals by the blue and sheeted lightning, that served to reveal to him the perils amongst which he was entangled, without assisting to guide him out of them. He could perceive that the beaten path which he now followed, lay through a wide morass or bog, and so indistinctly was it marked out, that he found himself obliged to proceed with the utmost caution, although the rain had already begun to descend in torrents upon him.

He was mincing his steps in this manner, and beginning to feel a greater respect than he had hitherto done for the recommendation of the old man, when he was startled by feeling some living creature brush swiftly by his legs, so as almost to touch them, and presently after, in a pause of the storm, a loud ringing whistle, followed by a shouting and hallooing at a distance, greeted his ear. A low grumbling bark, very near him, seemed to give answer to the sounds; and Aylmer heard the animal which had been snuffing inquisitively about him just before, bound and scamper off in the direction from whence the voice proceeded. In the hope of obtaining some assistance, the adventurer put his lungs to their best use, and endeavoured to outroar the warring of the elements themselves; but the effort proved to be a total failure, for he was not heard, or at least not attended to. He hurried on, nevertheless, with a feeling of greater security, on the path which the dog had taken, and in a short time was rewarded for his perseverance by feeling the firm mountain heath beneathhis feet. He now looked round him in the hope of finding himself in the neighbourhood of some human habitation, and for once was not deceived. Not more than a hundred yards to his right, in a sudden declivity of the mound, he perceived a cabin, with half the wicker-door thrown open, and revealing, in the strong light of a well-furnished hearth, an abode which seemed to promise much comfort and accommodation. He made no more ado, but straightway presented himself at the entrance.

"Boloa irath!"* he exclaimed, as he bent forward over the half-door, willing to conciliate the good-will of the inmates by affecting a familiarity with their habits and language.

"And you likewise ", was the answer returned by the "all" whom he had blessed; a plain-looking aged woman, who sat enjoying the delights of ease and a dhudheen (short pipe) in the chimney-corner. Aylmer drew back the bolt of the wicker and entered. The old woman continued smoking her pipe without expressing either displeasure at his intrusion, or anxiety to do the honours of her house; almost without raising her eyes from the heap of red and blazing turf on which they were musingly bent. Finding whom he had to deal with, and not disposed to lose much time in ceremony, her unbidden guest drew a sugan-chair close to the fire, and while he briefly explained the circumstances which had compelled him to be a trespasser on her hospitality, he made himself perfectly at home with respect to his shoes, stockings, and coat, which he suspended before the blaze, while he received with much satisfaction its full influence upon his person. After he had in some degree elevated his own temperature to the level of the atmosphere in which he was now placed, another inconvenience began to press upon his recollection, which he yet saw no means of removing. He turned his eye in various directions, but could discern nothing that could be useful to a man in want of a supper. At length he ventured to break his mind to his hostess on the subject. She at once directed his attention to a cupboard at the end of the room, to which he repaired with highly excited anticipations. All his anxieties were set at rest by the apparition of a good supply of cold roast mutton, with some oaten bread, and potatoes in great abundance. Laying joyous hands upon his prize, he bore it with much gratification to the deal table which stood in the centre of the apartment, and presently fell to work upon it: his #Bless all here.

hostess, during the whole time, preserving her attitude and look of indifference or listlessness, of which her guest was now too agreeably occupied to take any cognizance.

While he was yet seated at table, the sound of several voices outside the door diverted his attention, for the first time, from his fare. The occasional broken and hurried sentences of command or remonstrance which were bandied from one to the other of the unseen speakers, were alternated by the low and stifled bleatings of a sheep, which speedily terminated in a quick and gurgling expression of pain, that sufficiently demonstrated the means which had been adopted to secure silence.

"Smaha buhill!" exclaimed one, "faix, she's a joyant of a baste. Take her round to the barn, Will; and do you an Lewy make haste in to your supper. Here Vauria!"

“Vauria is here av you want her", shrilled out the old woman, who had, at the first sound of the voices, made an extraordinary exertion to place a skillet of potatoes over the fire before the speakers should enter, and had now resumed her pipe and indolence.

This had scarcely passed, when a stout, able-bodied man, his face smeared with bog-dust, having the appearance of a grazier (and a very ill-looking one), flung himself into the house. His astonishment at beholding a stranger quietly seated at his table, and demolishing his cheer, was so vividly expressed as scarcely for the moment to place his hospitality in a very favourable point of view. It was only after an uninterrupted gaze of a few seconds, that he suffered a half unconscious "Dieu ith" to pass his lips. "Dieu ith agus a Vauria! was the reply of Aylmer. ""Tisn't driven in by the weather you were?" continued the cottager (meaning directly the contrary). Aylmer nodded an assent, as he continued eating. "A smart evening, indeed", was the next observation. "Sha guthine!" replied the collegian, still continuing to use his * God and Mary be with you. † Yes, indeed.

vernacular tongue, and in every possible way endeavouring to mystify his real condition.

The querist was about to address the old woman, when, darting a sudden glance at his guest, he quickly asked him "if he understood English?" a question which the infrequency of the accomplishment in those districts rendered feasible enough. Instantly catching at the probable motive in which it originated, Aylmer replied at once in the negative. The cottager and the old woman soon after entered into conversation in their own broken and mangled effort at the idiom.

"An who tould him fare the mutton was?" inquired the owner of the house, after the woman had satisfied him as to all previous particulars. "In troth it's asy seen what a thrashen he meant to give it, when he stript to the work that way". Here Aylmer was near betraying himself by the smile which began to struggle on his lips.

"Lewy did a purty piece o' work this evening (night)", continued the host: "Cahill-cruv-dharug's herdsman will be missen a ha'porth o' tar in the mornen. One of the prettiest creatures on the long walk, and fat, ready to melt in our arms. Take it from me, Vauria, Cahill Fitzmaurice won't be a bit glad to be eased of her, to-morrow morning".

"Let him score it over against the blood of Robert Aylmer, then, and he'll be the gainer still, may be ", muttered the old woman.

"Pho! Pho! Easy. What nonsense you talk. Was'nt he cleared o' that be a judge an jury, in the face o' the whole country?-Pho!"

"I was aboord the boat that awful night, an I heard words spoken that ought'nt to pass a Christian's lips, except he was a Turk. But what's the use of being talking? There's as much time to come after as ever went before us, an they say blood will speak if it bursts the grave for it".