the poor crazy-witted body she is, 'twould be a
sin to let her go makin' such a show of herself; but sure no one 'ud
think to mind anythin' the likes of the crathur might have on her, the
saints may pity her. Ay, bedad, them kind of quare consthructions do be
fit for nothin' unless Quality and mad people," old Mrs. Walsh
continued, without malice, soliloquising, as Joe had caught up the can,
and was hurrying it with prodigal splashes towards his sweetheart's
door.

The circus, with its flaring lights and whirl of tinselled prancing
marvels, was so rapturous an experience to Nelly that she had not a
regret for her discarded hat, which at this time was moving on beneath a
soft dappled sky, between greening hedges, westward along quiet roads
and lanes. It found shelter for the night under the ley of a tall
hayrick near Santry, thus ending the first stage of Mad Bell's tramp
home to the wide brown bogland of Lisconnel.

CHAPTER XII

A FLITTING

Among the latest of the strangers that have visited Lisconnel were some
who came at a time when the neighbours stood rather in need of
distraction. For the summer following Mrs. Kilfoyle's death was, between
one thing and another, a drearyish season with us. That little old woman
had left a great gap; and then there were many long spells of gloomy bad
weather, which seemed to beat people's troubles down upon them as the
damp drove the turf-reck back through their smoke-holes into the dark
rooms, where they could scarcely see how dense the blue haze was
growing. Stacey Doyne's marriage also had removed something young and
pleasant, and at times, when the thatch dripped without and within,
neighbours were apt to talk about her in tones of commiseration, and
say, "Sure, her poor mother's lost entirely." So that towards autumn
the diversion of some new residents' arrival happened opportunely
enough. It was made possible by the fact that Big Anne had given up her
holding and entered into partnership with the widow M'Gurk, thus leaving
her late abode empty for another tenant, who appeared much sooner than
any one might have anticipated from the aspect of the cabin.

Except as a fresh topic of conversation, however, the strangers gave
small promise of proving an acquisition to the community. Lisconnel did
not like their appearance by any means, and further acquaintance failed
to modify unfavourable first impressions. These were mainly received in
the course of the day after th