her niece. Both passed down the street in a northern
direction, and Lamh Laudher, apprehensive that they were on no good
errand, took off his shoes, lest his footsteps might be heard, and
dogged them as they went along. They spoke little, and that in whispers,
until they had got clear of the town, when, feeling less restraint, the
following dialogue occurred to them:--

"Isn't it a quare thing, aunt, that she should come back to this place
at all?"

"Quare enough, but the husband's comin' too--he's to folly her."

"He ought to know that he needn't come here, I think."

"Why, you fool, how do you know that? Sure the town must pay him fifty
guineas, if he doesn't get a customer, and that's worth comin' for. She
must be near us by this time. Husht! do you hear a car?"

They both paused to listen, but no car was audible.

"I do not," replied the niece; "but isn't it odd that he lets her carry
the money, an' him trates her so badly'?"

"Why would it be odd? Sure, she takes betther care of it, an' puts it
farther than he does. His heart's in a farden, the nager."

"Rody an' the other will soon spare her that trouble, any way," replied
the niece. "Is there no one with her but the carman?"

"Not one--hould you tongue--here's the gate where the same pair was to
meet us. Who is this stranger that Rody has picked up? I hope he's the
thing."

"Some red-headed fellow. Rody says he is honest. I'm wondherin', aunt,
what 'ud happen if she'd know the place."

"She can't, girshah--an' what if she does? She may know the place, but
will the place know her? Rody's friend says the best way is to do for
her; an' I'm afeard of her, to tell you the truth--but we'll settle that
when they come. There now is the gate where we'll sit down. Give a cough
till we try if they're------whist! here they are!"

The voices of two men now joined the conversation, but in so low a tone,
that Lamh Laudher could not distinctly hear its purport.

[Illustration: PAGE 91-- With stealthy pace he crept over]

The road along which they traveled was craggy, and full of ruts, so that
a car could be heard in the silence of night at a considerable distance.
On each side the ditches were dry and shallow; and a small elder hedge,
which extended its branches towards the road, afforded Lamh Laudher
the obscurity which he wanted. With stealthy pace he crept over and sat
beneath it, determined to witness whatever incident might occur, and to
take a part in it, i