probably by Whitecraft, make
his escape out of the country. At best, the fool could only assure him
of his whereabouts; but he felt it necessary, in addition to this, to
procure, if the matter were possible, such evidence of his guilt as
might render his conviction of the robbery of the sheriff complete and
certain. One evening a wretched-looking old man, repeating his prayers,
with beads in hand, entered her cottage, which consisted of two rooms
and a kitchen; and after having presented himself, and put on his
hat--for we need scarcely say that no Catholic ever prays covered--he
asked lodging in Irish, for the night, and at this time it was dusk.

"Well, good man," she replied, "you can have lodgings here for this
night. God forbid I'd put a poor wandherer out, an' it nearly dark."

Fergus stared at her as if he did not understand what she said; she,
however, could speak Irish right well, and asked him in that language if
he could speak no English--"_Wuil Bearlha agud?_" (Have you English?)

"_Ha neil foccal vaun Bearlha agum_." (I haven't one word of English.)

"Well," said she, proceeding with the following short conversation in
Irish, "you can sleep here, and I will bring you in a wap o' straw from
the garden, when I have it to feed my cow, which his honor, Sir Robert,
gives me grass for; he would be a very kind man if he was a little more
generous--ha! ha! ha!"

"Ay, but doesn't he hunt an' hang, an' transport our priests?"

"Why, indeed, I believe he doesn't like a bone in a priest's body;
but then he's of a different religion--and it isn't for you or me to
construe him after our own way."

"Well, well," said Fergus, "it isn't him I'm thinking of; but if I had a
mouthful or two of something to ait I'd go to sleep--for dear knows I'm
tired and hungry."

"Why, then, of coorse you'll have something to ait, poor man, and
while you're eatin' it I'll fetch in a good bunch of straw, and make a
comfortable shake-down for you."

"God mark you to grace, avourneen!"

She then furnished him with plenty of oaten bread and mixed milk, and
while he was helping himself she brought in a large launch of straw,
which she shook out and settled for him.

"I see," said she, "that you have your own blankets."

"I have, acushla. Cheerna, but this is darlin' bread! Arra was this
baked upon a griddle or against the _muddhia arran?_"*.

* The muddhia arran was a forked branch, cut from a tree,
and shaped exactly li