heel, and on the instant bent her steps towards
Rathfillan House.

"Shawn-na-Middogue," she said as she went along, "you talk about
revenge, but wait till you know what the revenge of an insulted woman
is. It is not an aisy thing to know your haunts; but I'll set them upon
your trail that will find you out if you were to hide yourself in the
bowels of the earth, for the words you used to me this night. _Dar
manim_, I will never rest either night or day until I see you swing from
a gibbet."

Instead of proceeding to the little town of Rathfillan, she changed her
mind and turned her steps to Rathfillan House, the residence, as our
readers are aware, of the generous and kind-hearted Mr. Lindsay.

On arriving there she met our old acquaintance, Barney Casey, on the way
from the kitchen to the stable. Observing that she was approaching the
hall-door with the evident purpose of knocking, and feeling satisfied
that her business could be with none of the family except Harry, he
resolved to have some conversation with her, in order, if possible,
to get a glimpse of its purport. Not, indeed, that he entertained any
expectation of such a result, because he knew the craft and secrecy of
the woman he had to deal with; but, at all events, he thought that he
might still glean something significant even by her equivocations, if
not by her very silence. He accordingly turned, over and met her.

"Well, Caterine, won't this be a fine night when the moon and stars
comes out to show you the road home again afther you manage the affair
you're bent on?"

"Why, what am I bent on?" she replied, sharply.

"Why, to build a church to-night, wid the assistance of Mr. Harry
Woodward."

"Talk with respect of your masther's stepson," she replied, indignantly.

"And my sweet misthress's son," returned Barney, significantly.
"Why, Caterine, I hope you won't lift me till I fall. What did I say
disrespectful of him? Faith, I only know that the wondher is how such
a devil's scald could have so good and kind-hearted a son," he added,
disentangling himself from her suspicions, knowing perfectly well, as
he did, that any unfavorable expression he might utter against that
vindictive gentleman would most assuredly be communicated to him with
comments much stronger than the text. This would only throw him out of
Harry's confidence, and deprive him of those opportunities of probably
learning, from their casual conversation, some tendency of his
mysteri