igion.

Nevertheless, it has been said that "wise men live in the present, for
its bounties suffice them," and Dick, if not very wise, was very
good-natured, and was wise enough to realise that the fine weather,
and the good horse under him, and even Larry's homage, were bounties
sufficient unto the day.

"Got a fox for me, Larry? That's right. Good boy. Where d'ye think
we'll find him?"

"He's using the Quarry Wood earth, Cousin Dick," said Larry,
breathlessly, with the anxiety of the owner of the coverts alight in
his eyes. "I'm certain he's there. I went round with Sullivan myself
last night, and we stopped the whole place. I bet he'll not get in
anywhere!"

"Good! I'll draw the Quarry Wood first," said Cousin Dick, with royal
benignity. "You get away outside at the western end, and keep a
look-out for him."

A heavy man, on an enormous grey horse, had approached the Master,
having edged his way through the hounds with ostentatious care. He was
of a type sufficiently common among southern Irishmen, with thick,
strong-growing, black hair, a large, black moustache, and heavy brows,
over-shadowing eyes of precisely the same shade of blunted blue as his
shaven chin.

"He's a credit to his breeding, Major!" said the heavy man, indicating
Larry with a sandwich from which he had taken a bite of the size of
one of his horse's hoofs; "I wish we had a few more lads coming on in
the country like him!"

"What good are they going to do?" responded the Master, reverting to
the pessimistic mood that was daily becoming more frequent with him;
"what chance is there for a gentleman in this damned country? You
might as well have a mill-stone round your neck as an Irish property
these times! What do you suppose will be left to us after the next
'Revision of Rents,' as they call it?"

"Well, deuce a much indeed," returned Doctor Mangan, equably, "but it
mightn't be so bad as that altogether! I have my little girl out for
the first time to-day, Major. I wonder might I ask your man, that's
looking after your young ladies, to have an eye to her, too?"

Doctor Mangan withdrew with the required permission, and with his
daughter at his heels, proceeded through the assembling riders and
carriages, distributing greetings as he went.

Doctor Francis Aloysius Mangan was one of the leading doctors in the
district of which the towns of Cluhir and Riverstown each felt itself
to fill the most important place. Ireland grows doctors and cl