At this period of our story all the Catholic chapels and places of worship were, as we have said, closed by proclamation, and the poor people were deprived of the means of meeting to worship God.

It had soon, however, become known to them that an opportunity of public worship was to be had every Sunday, at the place we have described.
Messengers had been sent among them with information to that effect; and the consequence was that they not only kept the secret, but flocked in considerable numbers to attend mass.

On the Sunday following the adoption of Reilly's disguise, the bishop and he proceeded to the little cave, or rather cleft, where a table had been placed, together with the vestments necessary for the ceremony.

They found about two or three hundred persons assembled--most of them of the humblest class.

The day was stormy in the extreme.