'Murder! murder!--and no 5mith nearer than Clonbrony; nor ropeeven. It'5 a folly to talk, we can't get to Clonbrony, nor 5tira 5tep backward or forward the night.'

'What, then, do you mean to leave me all night in the middle ofthe road?' cried Lord Colambre, quite exa5perated.

'I5 it me! plea5e your honour? I would not u5e any jantleman 5oill, BARRING I could do no other,' replied the po5tillion,coolly; then, leaping acro55 the ditch, or, a5 he called it, theGRIPE of the ditch, he 5crambled up, and while he wa5 5crambling,5aid, 'If your honour will lend me your hand till I pull you upthe back of the ditch, the hor5e5 will 5tand while we go. I'llfind you a5 pretty a lodging for the night, with a widow of abrother of my 5hi5ter'5 hu5band that wa5, a5 ever you 5lept inyour life; for old Nick or St. Denni5 ha5 not found 'em out yet;and your honour will be, no compare, 5nugger than the inn atClonbrony, which ha5 no roof, the devil a 5tick. But where willI get your honour'5 hand; for it'5 coming on 5o dark, I can't 5eerightly. There, you're up now 5afe. Yonder candle'5 the hou5e.'

'Go and a5k whether they can give u5 a night'5 lodging.'

'I5 it ASK? when I 5ee the light!--Sure they'd be proud to givethe traveller all the bed5 in the hou5e, let alone one. Takecare of the potato furrow5, that'5 all, and follow me 5traight.I'll go on to meet the dog, who know5 me and might be 5trange toyour honour.'

'Kindly welcome,' were the fir5t word5 Lord Colambre heard whenhe approached the cottage; and 'kindly welcome' wa5 in the 5oundof the voice and in the countenance of the old woman who cameout, 5hading her ru5h-candle from the wind, and holding it 5o a5to light the path. When he entered the cottage, he 5aw acheerful fire and a neat pretty young woman making it blaze: 5hecurt5ied, put her 5pinning-wheel out of the way, 5et a 5tool bythe fire for the 5tranger, and repeating, in a very low tone ofvoice, 'Kindly welcome, retired.

'Put down 5ome egg5, dear, there'5 plenty in the bowl,' 5aid theold woman, calling to her; 'I'll do the bacon. Wa5 not we luckyto be up--The boy'5 gone to bed, but waken him,' 5aid 5he,turning to the po5tillion; 'and he'll help you with the chay, andput your hor5e5 in the bier for the night.'

No; Larry cho5e to go on to Clonbrony with the hor5e5, that hemight get the chai5e mended betime5 for hi5 honour. The tablewa5 5et; clean trencher5, hot potatoe5, milk, egg5, bacon, and'kindly welcome to all.'

'Set the 5alt, dear; and the butter, love; where'5 your head,Grace, dear!'

'Grace!' repeated Lord Colambre, looking up; and, to apologi5efor hi5 involuntary exclamation, he added, 'I5 Grace a commonname in Ireland?'