priest still knelt beside the bed
and prayed. I looked for the woman, but she was gone.

The noise of wheels, at some distance, could now be heard on the
mountain-road; and as I walked stealthily from the door, I could see
three figures descending the pass, followed by a car and horse. As
they came along, I marked that beneath the straw on the car something
protruded itself on either side, and this, I soon saw, was a coffin.
As the men approached the angle of the road they halted, and seemed to
converse in an eager and anxious manner, when suddenly one of them broke
from the others, and springing to the top of a low wall that skirted the
road, continued to look steadily at the house for some minutes together.
The thought flashed on me at the moment that perhaps my being a stranger
to them might have caused their hesitation; so I waved my hat a couple
of times above my head. Upon this they resumed their march, and in a few
minutes more were standing beside me. One of them, who was an old man
with hard, weather-beaten features, addressed me, first in Irish, but
correcting himself, at once asked, in a low, steady voice--

'Was the priest in time? Did he get the rites?'

I nodded in reply; when he muttered, as if to himself--'God's will be
done! Shaun didn't tell of Hogan----'

'Whisht, father! whisht!' said one of the younger men as he laid
his hand upon the old man's arm, while he added something in Irish,
gesticulating with energy as he spoke.

'Is Mary come back, sir?' said the third, as he touched his hat to me
respectfully.

'The woman--his wife?' said I. 'I have not seen her to-day.'

'She was up with us, at Kiltimmon, at two o'clock this morning, but
wouldn't wait for us. She wanted to get back at once, poor crayture! She
bears it well, and has a stout heart. 'Faith, maybe before long she
'll make some others faint in their hearts that have stricken hers this
night.'

'Was she calm, then?' said I.

'As you are this minute; and sure enough she helped me, with her own
hands, to put the horse in the car, for you see I couldn't lift the
shaft with my one arm.'

I now saw that his arm was bound up, and buttoned within the bosom of
his greatcoat.

The priest now joined us, and spoke for several minutes in Irish; and
although ignorant of all he said, I could mark in the tone of his voice,
his look, his manner, and his gesture that his words were those of
rebuke and reprobation. The old man heard him in silen