ng a long line, his crook back throwing
a great black shadow on the wall.

"There will be great doings at your place soon, Kate," said he.

"Ay, there's nae talk but marrying yonder. I am thinking the mistress
would rather be having the other man," said she, and rose to put peat
on the fire.

"Whatever other man is it?" says the mother.

"Kate will be meaning Dan McBride's bastard," says Dol Beag, and his
hand shook a little on the hook.

"He is free with his money whatever, and a fine man they are saying."

"Ay, ay, the father o' him was free with his gifts too," said her
father. "They will all be thonder, I am thinking. Laird and leddies
and bastards, the whole clamjamfry. We will be hoping for a good day
at the time o' the year."

"John McCook would be telling me there will be a ploy that night at the
Cleiteadh mor," said the lass; "the folk will have a cargo ready.
McBride and his son will be there for the ploy," said the lass, "but he
said no' to be speaking of it."

Her father stopped a little at his baiting.

"They were aye the great hands for a ploy," said he, and twitched his
shoulder, and the black shadow on the wall wobbled and was still.
There came a long whistle as you will hear a shepherd call.

"That will be himsel'," said Kate.

"Fetch the lad in," said the mother, and went to the fire.

Dol Beag took down the great Bible. "We will worship the Lord," said
he, "before you will be leaving," and he opened the Book and read, and
the voice of him rolled in relish of the Gaelic, and then they kneeled
on the bare floor and Dol Beag prayed before his God, and John McCook,
opening his eyes, saw his lass smiling to him.

The lad and lass took the hill road in the moonlight, and the mother
watching them.

* * * * * *

Dol Beag lay in his bed long, turning and turning like a man not at his
ease, and then he rose and put his clothes on him.

"Where will you be going at this hour?" said his wife.

"Woman," said he, "I will have forgotten if the skiff is high on the
shore-head, for the wind is away to the west'ard," and he went out into
the night.

In an hour maybe he was in again and the cruisie lighted, and again he
fell on his knees by the side of the bed and prayed aloud, and his wife
would be hearing in her sleep.

"Lord, look on Thy servant. Was not I the straight one before Thee,
straight like a young tree, and strong before Thee. Lord, look then
fro