by these notorious vagabonds.
"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 ha
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