was he ever known to say that such a job wasn't his
work. He was always willing to nurse a baby, or dig potatoes, or cook
a dinner, to the best of his ability, when asked to do so; but he
could not endure to be made less of than a Protestant; and of all
Protestants he could not endure to be made less of than Mrs. Jones.

"'Cause she's a Protestant, is it, ma'am?"

"Of course, Richard; you can't but see that Protestants are more
trusted, more respected, more thought about than Romanists, can you?"

"'Deed then I don't know, ma'am."

"But look at Mrs. Jones."

"Oh, I looks at her often enough; and she's well enough too for a
woman. But we all know her weakness."

"What's that, Richard?" asked Mrs. Townsend, with some interest
expressed in her tone; for she was not above listening to a little
scandal, even about the servants of her great neighbours.

"Why, she do often talk about things she don't understand. But she's
a great hand at puddins and pies, and that's what one mostly looks
for in a woman."

This was enough for Mrs. Townsend for the present, and so Richard was
allowed to take his departure, in full self-confidence that he had
been one too many for the parson's wife.

"Jerry," said Richard, as they walked out into the yard together
to get the Castle Richmond pony, "does they often thry to make a
Prothestant of you now?"

"Prothestants be d----," said Jerry, who by no means shared in
Richard's good gifts as to temper.

"Well, I wouldn't say that; at laist, not of all of 'em."

"The likes of them's used to it," said Jerry.

And then Richard, not waiting to do further battle on behalf of his
Protestant friends, trotted out of the yard.

CHAPTER XI.

SECOND LOVE.

On the day after Clara's departure, Herbert did, as a matter of
course, make his promised visit at Desmond Court. It was on that day
that Sir Thomas had been driving about in the pony-carriage with Lady
Fitzgerald, as Richard had reported. Herbert had been with his father
in the morning, and then having seen him and his mother well packed
up in their shawls and cloaks, had mounted his horse and ridden off.

"I may be kept some time," said he, "as I have promised to go on to
Clady, and see after that soup kitchen."

"I shouldn't wonder if Herbert became attached to Clara Desmond,"
said the mother to Sir Thomas, soon after they had begun their
excursion.

"Do you think so?" said the baronet; and his tone was certainly not
exa