CHAPTER XIV.
DUBLIN, _Friday, March 9th._--At 7.40 this morning I took the train for Athy to visit the Luggacurren estates of Lord Lansdowne.

Mr.Lynch, a resident magistrate here, some time ago kindly offered to show me over the place, but I thought it as well to take my chance with the people of Athy who are reported to have been very hot over the whole matter here, and so wrote to Mr.Lynch that I would find him at the Lodge, which is the headquarters of the property.
Athy is a neat, well-built little town, famous of old as a frontier fortress of Kildare.

An embattled tower, flanked by small square turrets, guards a picturesque old bridge here over the Barrow, the bridge being known in the country as "Crom-a-boo," from the old war-cry of the Fitz-Geralds.

It is a busy place now; and there was quite a bustle at the very pretty little station.

I asked a friendly old porter which was the best hotel in the town.