'You shall see,' she replied, 'the next time you miss a shot.'

She had scarcely spoken when a large cock grouse leaped on a tussock near them, and giving a loud crow of challenge, sprang into the air facing down the glen in his flight. He was quite close to the walkers when he got up. The young man levelled his piece and fired both barrels-one quickly after the other. The bird was evidently hit, but being old and strong he crowed again lustily in defiance, and continued his flight.

The stranger turned his look upon Ierne, intending to apologise for his awkwardness in missing another shot, when to his surprise he saw her unsling her rifle in a moment, and taking deliberate aim at the now distant bird, she fired. The report was little louder than a pop-gun, and the smoke no more than a cigar would have produced in a single puff from the smoker, but the bird dropped at once to the shot, and fell dead, nearly one hundred yards distant amongst the rocks.

The stranger was astonished. The two dogs stood behind her, perfectly still, except that they trembled with excitement their heads and ears erect, and tails motionless and extended.

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'Pilot,' said Ierne, addressing her beautiful retriever, and making a slight motion with her hand, 'go, fetch me that bird.'

The dog went off at racing speed. The bird had fallen amongst some split and loosened rocks, and it was no easy matter to find it; but with nose close to the heather, and unerring eye and scent, he soon discovered it, and taking it delicately by one wing, so as not to injure it, in his mouth, he brought it back with head erect and wagging tail, and laid it with intense delight at his mistress's feet.

'That is wonderful,' said the stranger; 'I know not whether to admire most the sagacity and training of the dog, or the unerring skill of his mistress. I will shoot no more today.'

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'I am glad to hear you say so,' observed Ierne. But I think you hit the bird yourself.' Only wounded it,' he said. It would certainly have got off but for your extraordinary shot.'

Ierne took up the dead bird which the dog had laid at her feet.

'Only wounded it!' she repeated sadly, only wounded it! and that is what is termed sport." Let us for once overcome our re

pugnance to dwell on sorrow, and examine the wounds which this poor bird must have borne, without surgeon, ambulance, or attendance, had not my cruel bullet-for such I must and will call it-put an end to his sufferings. Look at this "only wounded" bird; his leg is broken, and adheres merely by the skin. And one eye protrudes, almost drowned in blood. Poor thing,' she continued, as she laid the bird down gently on the ground, you must have borne all this in your agony and solitude, and died in misery, or lived maimed and wounded for life. And this,' she said, reproachfully looking up into the stranger's face, is what you call "sport!""

‘I do not think I will ever shoot again,' said the stranger.

CHAPTER V.

GHOSTS AND FAIRIES.

EVENING began now rapidly to close in. The time had passed so pleasantly, and so many subjects of interest had been discussed between them, that neither Ierne nor the stranger had perceived it.

'I must take my leave,' he said; 'I have a walk of some ten or twelve miles before I can reach my home for the night, and I have but an indifferent guide over the mountains.' He stopped and hesitated for a moment, and then said, 'I wonder shall we ever meet again ?'

'Probably,' she replied. If you are living in this neighbourhood, we shall no doubt meet again upon the hills. Should we do so I will promise not to be so severe upon your shooting. Indeed, I ought to apologise for what I have already said; but somehow it came home to my heart at the time, and indeed I could scarcely help it.'

'You do not know how grateful I feel for all you were good enough to say,' returned the stranger. 'I will confess to you I had never looked upon what is termed "sport" in that light before. I cannot say how I shall feel concerning it when the effect of your presence and manner is removed, but now I feel as if I never could shoot again.'

Teague called his young mistress apart and whispered something to her. She blushed, and shook her head. But he seemed earnestly to press his point; and then receding respectfully to a little distance from her, he left her standing alone.

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She hesitated but a moment, and then again approaching the stranger, she said: My brother will, I know, be home this evening. I scarcely think you could find your way back some ten or twelve miles across the mountains to-night. It would require a more practised mountaineer than you can be to effect this. If you would do my brother the favour to pass the night at our poor house, I know it would afford him the greatest pleasure. It is only a few miles distant down upou the coast in the wood; you can plainly see it from this. I will be your guide, and Teague can go on before,