“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, if necessary. He had scarcely seated himself when the car which they expected was heard jolting about half a mile off along the way, and the next moment a consultation took place in tones so low and guarded, that every attempt on his part to catch its purport was unsuccessful. This continued with much earnestness, if not warmth, until the car came within twenty perches of the gate, when Nell exclaimed--