ian, Maire's not back yet. Ay, I'll engage she'll give you a call
when she does come back. _(Anne turns back. She opens drawer in the
dresser and puts paper in. She begins to clear table, putting the
delpht back on dresser. To herself, anxiously)_ I hope Maire won't
forget to call at the mill. _(Room door right opens, and Conn
Hourican comes down. Conn Hourican is a man of about fifty, with
clear-cut, powerful features, his face is clean-shaven, his
expression vehement. His dress is old-fashioned. He wears
knee-breeches, a frieze coat rather long, a linen shirt with a
little linen collar and a black string for bow. He carries a slick
and moves about restlessly)_

ANNE
Had Maire any talk of going to the mill, father?

CONN
I heard nothing of it.

ANNE
I hope she'll mind of it. We must get the meal there, and not
be going to the shop so often.

CONN
I suppose we must.

_He moves about restlessly_.

ANNE
And I was just thinking that one of us ought to go to Arvach on
Tuesday, and get the things there.

CONN
The mean, odious creatures!

_Anne is startled. She turns from dresser_.

ANNE
What are you thinking of, father?

CONN
That den of robbers. Well, well, I'm finished with them now;
but I'm a proud man, and a passionate man, and I'll be even with
them yet.

ANNE
There's no comfort in going into rough places.

CONN
You know nothing at all about it. Were the men in yet?

ANNE
James Moynihan was here, because he had to go away early; but
Brian MacConnell is outside still. Father, you were home late two
nights this week.

CONN
And is a man to have no life to himself? But sure you know
nothing at all about it. I'm going out now to give Brian MacConnell
a hand.

ANNE
It's hardly worth while going out now.

CONN
There's still light enough to do a bit of mowing, and you ought
to know that it isn't right to neglect the boy that's come to do a
day's work with you. _(Going to the door)_ Many's the day I put in
with the scythe in Ireland, and in England too; I did more than
stroll with the fiddle, and I saw more places than where fiddling
brought me. _(Brian MacConnell comes to the door)_ I was just going
out to you, Brian. I was telling the girl here that it's not right
to neglect the boy that's giving you a day's work out of his own
goodness.

BRIAN
I'm only coming in for a light.

CONN
As you're here now, rest yourself.

_Brian MacConnell comes in, and goes over to the hearth. He is