you

claimed Donald, 'to tell such a monstrous untruth as that I am putting by money for Miss Ierne, when well know I am hard enough set every day in the year to keep matters going at all. And this moment I believe your own wages are unpaid these three months, merely for want of cash.'

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Ah, whisht, masther!' said Teague. 'What do I care for wages? Sure haven't I plenty of potatoes and meal in the house, and two good cows grazing for nothin' on your honour's land? and what do I want with more ? But I knew well what he was asking for, so I just towld him the same as that Miss Ierne was rowling in goold, so she was.'

"This is intolerable, quite intolerable,' again exclaimed Donald hastily. 'I don't much like young O'Dempsey myself; though I believe he is an admirer of my sister. But to deceive him thus is too bad. I desire, Sir, when next he talks of such subjects, that you will tell him she has not one farthing. And you may tell him, moreover, from me, that I consider him excessively impertinent to ask such questions at all. Just tell him all that, Teague, and let him put it in his pipe and smoke it. I would tell him so myself to-day, but that these are not

times to allow absurd nonsense like this, or private quarrels of any kind, to interfere with the serious projects that we have on hand. But as to Ierne, I would sooner see her enter a convent for life than see her betrothed to such a fellow as that.'

'Very like you would, your honour; but do you think Miss Ierne would agree with you?' asked Teague, with a sly look towards his

master.

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"I am perfectly certain she would,' said Donald, or at least I am certain of it if she thought for one moment that he was trying to worm out of you what fortune she was likely to have. And therefore I insist on it that you tell him at once, on the earliest opportunity, that she has none.'

'Faix, masther, I'll do nothing of the sort,' replied Teague. O'Dempsey is no bad match; and though he looks after the shiners a little— and small blame to him for that same, and I wish we had a few more of them among us-yet I raally believe he has a great liking for Miss Ierne. And though, no doubt, he would be glad to get the shiners along with her sure enough, yet I'm sure and certain he'd marry her without a farthing sooner than lose her. But he's

doubtful if Miss Ierne likes him, and that's another thing he wanted to get out of me, and sorra much satisfaction I gave him on that score either.'

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'Let us have no more of this,' said Donald abruptly. I have half a mind to quarrel with him should I meet him on the mountain side to-day. But never mind, let him court Miss Ierne, and win her if he can. I warrant him she will take his measure, and send him about his business quick enough if she don't like him, or if he is unworthy of her.'

'Bedad, that's the way to take it, your honour, and I'm glad to hear ye spake with so much sense,' said Teague. And now when will your honour and Miss Ierne be ready for the mountain, and I'll attend ye to the minute?'

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In half an hour we shall be ready to start. Bring my gun with you. And hark ye, Teague! Bring my revolver with you too. These are times when it may be no harm to have a shot in one's locker.'

All right, your honour. I'll take care that none of them misses fire anyway.'

Donald returned to the house, and told his sister to get ready to accompany him—a command which she joyfully obeyed.

CHAPTER IV.

THE SAXON STRANGER.

IERNE was soon ready to accompany her brother. Her dress was of simple grey, which hung in light folds from her waist, reaching to an ankle of unusual symmetry and beauty. She wore a leathern girdle, beautifully embroidered, round her waist; a little short jacket; and a Swiss hat attached to her head by a red ribbon. In her girdle was placed a highly wrought dagger, and beside it a tiny revolver, both of them, from the smallness of their size, seeming rather for ornament than use. A few miniature cartridges were in her belt, and her equipment was completed by a silver whistle hanging by a chain of the same material, and a beautiful little rifle of the lightest and smallest size. This latter was slung by an embroidered strap upon her shoulder, so managed that it could be recovered in a moment, and yet need not impede her motion when walking.

'How do you like my accoutrements, Donald ?' she said, as she displayed to him her dagger and her rifle.

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Your weapons are more suited to the times than to the hand that wields them,' he replied. 'But, Donald, they are your own gift,' exclaimed Ierne. 'I am surely bound to wear them.'

Donald smiled as he gazed on his beautiful sister, so delicate in her slender proportions, while decorated with such warlike implements.

'Come,' he said, 'we have a long walk before us, and I fear a hot one too; so let us be moving. I wonder where is Teague?

'I sent him for Leogaire and Pilot,' replied Ierne. I never walk the mountains without those two faithful friends.'

Teague soon appeared with the dogs. Leogaire was a splendid specimen of the ancient Irish wolf-dog-an enormous shaggy greyhound. But few of this fine race of dogs now remain in Ireland. The extinction of the wolf appears to have been the precursor of the extinction of his natural antagonist.* Some fine

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* The following quaint remarks will be found in Campion's Historie of Ireland,' published in the year 1571:

'Cambrensis in his time complaineth that Ireland had