e till he saw the figure
of Feemy, still sitting on the root of the tree where we left her.
There was a light colour in her shawl, and the little white collar
round her neck enabled him to see her at some distance; and she saw,
or at any rate heard him, but she neither moved to or from him.

She had caught, some time since, the sound of the gig wheels; but
just as she did so, she again saw the figure of Thady as he came
round from the stables; and he evidently had heard it also, for he
stood still on the open space before the house. He was smoking, for
she caught the smell of the tobacco, and she plainly heard the stones
on the pathway rattle as he now and then struck them with the stick
in his hand. He didn't move towards her; but there he stood, as if
determined to ascertain whether the vehicle which he must have heard,
would pass along the road by the gate.

Then the sound ceased. It was when Biddy was putting in it the cloak
and bundle, and again it continued closer and closer. The road came
round the little shrubbery through which the avenue passed; the gig
was therefore at one time even nearer to Feemy than it would be when
it stopped at the avenue gate; and when it passed this place, she
fancied she could hear Ussher moving in his seat. She did not dare to
stir, however, for there still stood Thady, listening like herself to
the sounds within forty yards of her; and had she risen he must have
seen her.

And now the gig stopped at the avenue gate. Feemy was all but
fainting; what with the cold and her former fear, and the dreadful
position in which she found herself, she could not have moved if she
had tried; she just preserved her senses sufficiently to torture her,
and that was all. Plainly she heard her lover whistle; and plainly
Thady heard it too, for he kept his stick completely still, and took
the pipe from his mouth: then the second whistle--then she heard
Ussher's foot on the ground--heard him approaching, and saw his
figure draw nearer; in vain she endeavoured to make signs to him, in
vain she thought she whispered, "keep back;" for when she tried to
speak, the words would not come. On he came till he was close to her,
and in a low voice he said,

"Feemy, is that you? why don't you come? what are you here for?"
and he put down his hand to raise her. Feemy tried to rise and
whisper something, but she was unable, and when Ussher stooped and
absolutely lifted her from her seat, she had really fainted.