he greater part of it being up-hill."

"Well," replied Mrs. Beatty, "I'm not the woman to think one thing and
speak another. To be sure, I'd rather he would die a True Blue than a
Papish; but since he will die one, I'd rather have you at his side than
e'er a priest in the kingdom. If there is a Christian among them, you
are one--you are--so, Bob dear, since you're bent on it, I won't disturb
you."

"Bring your chair near me," said Bob; "where is your hand, my dear sir?
Give Me your hand." Poor Bob caught Father Roche's hand in his, and
pressed it honestly and warmly.

"Bob," said Mr. Lucre, "I don't understand this; in what creed are you
disposed to die?"

"You see, sir," said M'Cabe, "that he _won't_ die in yours at any rate."

"You will not die in my creed!" repeated the parson, astonished.

"No," said Bob; "I will not."

"You will then die in mine, of course?" said Mr. M'Cabe.

"No," replied Bob; "I will not."

"How is that?" said the priest.

"Explain yourself," said Mr. Lucre.

"_I'll die a Christian_," replied Bob. "You're both anything but what
you ought to be; and if I wasn't on my death-bed you'd hear more of it.
Here is a Christian clergyman, and under his ministry I will die."

"Ah," said Mr. Lucre, "I perceive, Mrs. Beatty, that the poor man's
intellect is gone; whilst his reason was sound he remained a staunch
Protestant, and as such, we shall claim him. He must be interred
according to the rights of our church, for he dies clearly _non compos
mentis_."

Father Roche now addressed himself to Beatty, and prepared him for his
great change, as became a pious and faithful minister of the gospel.
Beatty, however, was never capable of serious impressions. Still, his
feelings were as solemn as could be expected, from a man whose natural
temperament had always inclined him to facetiousness and humor. He died
the next day, after a severe fit, from which he recovered only to linger
about half an hour in a state of stupor and insensibility.

This conflict between the priest and the parson was a kind of prelude in
its way, to the great Palaver, or discussion, which was immediately to
take place between the redoubtable champions of the rival churches.

CHAPTER XXVIII.--Darby is a Spiritual Ganymede

--Preparations for the Great Discussion, which we do not
give--Extraordinary Hope of a Modern Miracle--Solomon like an Angel
looking into the Gospel.

On the morning of the appointed day, the wal