t. Oh, yes, he
wasn't the only one of the tenants that was doing good to himself. There
was more of them that was getting more than ever they made out of the
land."[24]

"Was the land so bad, then?" I asked.

"No, there was as good land at Luggacurren as any there was in all
Ireland; but," and here he pointed off to the crests of the hills in the
distance, "there was a deal of land there of the estate on the hills,
and it was very poor land, but the tenants had to pay as much for that
as for the good property of Dunne and Kilbride."

"Do you know Mr. Lynch, the magistrate?" I asked. "If you do, look out
for him, as he has promised to join me and show me the place."

"Oh no, sorr!" the jarvey exclaimed at once; "don't mind about him. Hell
have his own car, and your honour won't want to take him on ours."

"Why not?" I persisted, "there's plenty of room."

"Oh! but indeed, sir, if it wasn't that you were going to the priest's,
Father Maher, you wouldn't get a car at Athy--no, not under ten pounds!"

"Not under ten pounds," I replied. "Would I get one then for ten
pounds?"

"It's a deal of money, ten pounds, sorr, and you wouldn't have a poor
man throw away ten pounds?"

"Certainly not, nor ten shillings either. Is it a question of principle,
or a question of price?"

The man looked around at me with a droll glimmer in his eye: "Ah, to be
sure, your honour's a great lawyer; but he'll come pounding along with
his big horse in his own car, Mr. Lynch; and sure it'll be quicker for
your honour just driving to Father Maher's."

There was no resisting this, so I laughed and bade him drive on.

"Whose house is that?" I asked, as we passed a house surrounded with
trees.

"Oh! that's the priest, Father Keogh--a very good man, but not so much
for the people as Father Maher, who has everything to look after about
them."

We came presently within sight of a handsome residence, Lansdowne Lodge,
the headquarters of the estate. Many fine cattle were grazing in the
fields about it.

"They are Lord Lansdowne's beasts," said my jarvey; "and it's the
emergency men are looking after them."

Nearly opposite were the Land League huts erected on the holding of an
unevicted tenant--a small village of neat wooden "shanties." On the
roadway in front of these half-a-dozen men were lounging about. They
watched us with much curiosity as we drove up, and whispered eagerly
together.

"They're some of the evicted men, your honour,"