“Well, ahagur,” said Cavanagh, “no matter now—­it’s all over unless they catch the robbers.  Come now,” he added, addressing M’Mahon and his son, “if you’re for the road I’m ready.”

“Is it true, Mrs. Burke,” asked Bryan, “that you’re goin’ to have a Kemp in your barn some o’ these days?”

“True enough, indeed,” replied the good woman, “an’ that’s true, too, tell the girls, Bryan, and that they must come.”

“Not I,” said the other, laughing; “if the girls here—­wishes them to come, let them go up and ask them.”

“So we will, then,” replied Hanna, “an’ little thanks to you for your civility.”

“I wish I knew the evenin’,” said Bryan, “that I might be at Carriglass.”

“When will we go, Kathleen,” asked her sister, turning slyly to her.

“Why, you’re sich a light-brained cracked creature,” replied Kathleen, “that I can’t tell whether you’re joking or not.”

“The sorra joke I’m jokin’,” she replied, striving suddenly to form her features into a serious expression.  “Well, then, I have it,” she proceeded.  “Some Thursday, Bryan, in the middle o’ next week—­now you know I’m not jokin’, Kathleen.”

“Will you come, Kathleen?” inquired Bryan.

“Why, if Hanna goes, I suppose I must,” she replied, but without looking up.

“Well then I’ll have a sharp look-out on Thursday.”

“Come now,” said Gerald, “let us move.  Give the girsha something to ate among you, for the credit of the house, before she goes back,” he added.  “Paddy Toole, girth that horse tighter, I tell you; I never can get you to girth him as he ought to be girthed.”

On bidding the women good-bye, Bryan looked towards Kathleen for a moment, and her eye in return glanced on him as he was about to go.  But that simple glance, how significant was its import, and how clearly did it convey the whole history of as pure a heart as ever beat within a female bosom!

CHAPTEE VI.—­Nanny Peety looks mysterious

—­Hycy proves himself a good Judge of Horse-Flesh.

The day was all light, and life, and animation.  The crops were going down fast in every direction, and the fields were alive and cheerful with the voice of mirth and labor.  As they got into the vicinity of Wallace’s house they overtook or were over-taken by several of their neighbors, among whom was seen our old friend, Jemmy, or as I his acquaintances generally called him, honest Jemmy Burke, mounted upon a brood mare with a foal at her heels, all his other horses having been engaged in the labor of the season.

After having sympathized with him upon the loss he had sustained, they soon allowed the subject to drop; for it was quite clear from the expression of care, if not of sorrow, that was legible in his face, that the very mention of it only caused him to feel additional anxiety.

At length they reached Wallace’s house, where they found a tolerably large crowd of people waiting for the auction, which was not to commence until the hour of one o’clock.