s of agreeability and amusement, but his tales fell on
unwilling ears, and when our meal was over I started up and began to
prepare for the road.

'So you will go, will you?' said he peevishly. ''Tis in your country
to be obstinate, so I 'll say nothing more; but maybe 'tis only into
throubles you 'd be running, after all!'

'I'm determined on it,' said I, 'and I only ask you to tell me what road
to take.'

'There is only one, so there is no mistakin' it; keep to the sheep-path,
and never leave it except at the torrents; you must pass them how ye
can. And when ye come to four big rocks in the plain, leave them to your
left, and keep the side of the mountain for two miles, till ye see the
smoke of the village underneath you. Murrah is a small place, and ye'll
have to look out sharp, or maybe ye'll miss it.'

'That's enough,' said I, putting some silver in his hand as I pressed
it. 'We 'll probably meet no more; good-bye, and many thanks for your
pleasant company.'

'No, we're not like to meet again,' said he thoughtfully, 'and that's
the reason I'd like to give you a bit of advice. Hear me, now,' said
he, drawing closer and talking in a whisper; 'you can't go far in this
country without being known; 'tisn't your looks alone, but your voice,
and your tongue, will show what ye are. Get away out of it as fast as
you can! there's thraitors in every cause, and there's chaps in Ireland
would rather make money as informers than earn it by honest industry.
Get over to the Scotch islands; get to Islay or Barra; get anywhere out
of this for the time.'

'Thanks for the counsel,' said I, somewhat coldly, 'I'll have time to
think over it as I go along;' and with these words I set forth on my
journey.

CHAPTER XXVII. THE CRANAGH

I will not weary my reader with a narrative of my mountain walk, nor
the dangers and difficulties which beset me on that day of storm
and hurricane. Few as were the miles to travel, what with accidents,
mistakes of the path, and the halts to take shelter, I only reached
Murrah as the day was declining.

The little village, which consisted of some twenty cabins, occupied a
narrow gorge between two mountains, and presented an aspect of greater
misery than I had ever witnessed before, not affording even the humblest
specimen of a house of entertainment. From some peasants that were
lounging in the street I learned that 'Father Doogan' had passed through
two days before in company with a naval o