noticed the driver lift his brinkless hat with a great degree of reverence to the two half-clerical strangers, and more especially to the elder, who returned his salutation with a mixture of dignity and condescension I could not understand. This appearance of acquaintanceship revived my former suspicions, and I became convinced that the fellow's simplicity was in a great measure assumed. "You see people do come down the rocks," I said in a whisper "do you know who they are." "Sorrow a bit myself knows," said he, "ounly I jist guess that two of 'em are priests, heaven bless 'em.” Why do yon think they are priests," I asked in the same low tone as before, and to confirm me in the impression I had first formed. Oh be dad your honour and its aisy to tell" said he, “ sure dont you see the black coat close to the body the bit black stocks about the neck wid the white muslin above it, and more than all, the cut o'the jib which is like nothing else in ould Ireland, and faith but you may tell them in a sack o'pratees, so you may." "And who is that beautiful girl," I continued " and what do you think they'll do with her." "Who is she," he asked, looking very arch," and what will they do with her? aisy to ax, but mighty hard to answer, may be she's a woman," he continued" and then the divil is there. He's niver away from the petticoats, any how, and so he isn't, the thief." The last word he uttered, rose higher than the rest of our conversation, and being pronounced with considerable energy reached the ears of the elder of the two priests, and caused him to turn suddenly round, with an expression in his small dark eyes that was quite terrifying to the poor fellow who sat beside me. "Who is a thief?" he exclaimed bending his keen sharp glance on the frightened driver," who is a thief, I say? speak" he continued in a voice of calm authority, "speak and tell me who it is, you stigmatise with that disgraceful epithet"? The party addressed was apparently struck with great fear: he shook on his seat; all the light joyousness of his previous conduct vanished in a moment; he hung down his head-looked sheepish and terrified—and as the incensed individual came nearer, his fears grew more powerful, until, overcome by his feelings, he fairly sank on his knees, and with great trepidation in his speech, faltered out, "It was the divil, your reverence." 66 66 Ha ha ha!" chuckled his reverence, smiling kindly on the trembling wretch, a very proper character, as I'm a sinner; he is a thief, and so are his friends, the heretics-all thieves: ha, ha, ha—I'm glad you are acquainted with his character; ha, ha, ha-a thief, an errant thief-ha, ha, ha.” This appearance of excessive terror, and of sudden and extreme jocularity, was not calculated to allay the feeling of suspicion which had taken root in my mind. If the driver was not in the secret and acting with them, there could be no doubt that the priest was assuming a character for the occasion, and, endeavouring to create an impression on those about him, that might prove favourable to some ulterior object he had in view. What that object might be, was not for me to guess, ignorant as I was of his previous connexion with the girl, or why she had been hurried with such apparent violence to that lonely place. Whatever might have been his object, the means he adopted were evidently calculated to work well on the party around him, for they entered with great glee into the humour he displayed, and seemed to think it an excellent joke on the part of the priest, that he coupled the heretics and the devil together. The loud, coarse laugh with which they responded to the priest's mirth, might probably have had some effect on the poor girl, for, drawing a long breath, and heaving a deep sigh, while a contractive spasmodic struggle agitated her frame, she just opened her eyes for a moment, and then closed them again, with an expression of shuddering and repulsive horror. The sensation and the expression were only for a moment, but they spoke volumes to my excited apprehension, and assured me that there was some deep and fatal cause existing to produce that mingled appearance of horror and loathing. He The elder of the two priests had apparently paid little attention to me up to the present time, and I probably might have escaped his notice altogether, had it not been for the younger whispering in his ear, and most likely suggesting something unfavourable. I had reason to infer some degree of dislike from having noticed his conduct to the lady. had looked up, and seeing that I observed him, a momentary blush reddened his face, which soon darkened however into a lowering expression of mortification and dislike. When, therefore, the former turned and bent his keen eyes as if he would search me through, I observed that his brow was suddenly contracted, and in a harsh, authoritative tone, he bade me " pass on, and be cautious." As I knew of no right he had to control my motions on the king's highway, and, moreover, somewhat indignant at this impertinent assumption of authority in a stranger, I answered his looks with others equally stern, and replied, "that my time was my own, and I would move at no man's bidding." "Will you nol," he said, in a low calm tone, "do you see the rock above you? do you see the water below you? Now mind," he con tinued in a thrilling whisper, "if I say drown, the waves will cover you and the hard rock will say nothing. Be wise and pass on." There was something terrible in the very calmness with which he uttered these words, betokening as it were the cool indifference of a mind resolved to commit any act that could further his object, and they evidently made a most formidable impression on the driver's mind, for he whispered in, my ear, at the same time trembling excessively, "Oh, for the love of heaven, let us go-let us go, and not provoke the holy father when he bids you begone." He made a motion, as if to urge the animal forward, which had the effect of rousing me to the more decided opposition of seizing the reins. I said sternly, "Sit still, 'till I bid you go on, and let me see who dares annoy the king's liege on the public road." Bah! what a fool you are," said the priest laughing; "you forget we're in Connaught, and the strong hand is king here. Boys," he cried, turning to the ruffians who stood at a short distance, come, and show this Saxon' What more he would have said was cut short by a scream from the girl, who had started to her feet, and rushing past the men on the road, she came close to the car, and flinging herself on her knees, she lifted up a pair of most expressive eyes, and cried in tones of piercing earnestness," Save me, save me; for the love of heaven save me." (To be continued.) NORAH O'SHEE. (Set to Music by J. W. THIRLWALL, and will shortly be published). My heart among strangers feels heavy and lone, So I'll cheer it with thoughts of my own native home; And sure 'tis a pleasure, though distant I be, To think of dear Ireland and Norah O'Shee. 'Twas there that my Norah's eyes miltin and blue, I was then a nate lad as a body could see, Och! well I remember the dark ugly day, |