"Oh well, I was frightened. I only thought of getting away as far as I
could from him. I shan't walk in the fields again in a hurry. If it
isn't horses, it's bulls."

Eileen's face kept its unbecoming gloom on the homeward way, even
though she pressed very close to Terry for protection whenever they
came near the feeding horses, or one of them trotted up to be petted
and stroked. She knew she was disapproved of, and the knowledge was
unpleasant to her, although it did not cause her any searchings of
conscience. Eileen always took the line of least resistance, as her
clever sister, Paula, who was a B.A. of Dublin University, had said.

CHAPTER VIII

SIR SHAWN SEES A GHOST

"There's a blast o' talk goin' through the place like an earthquake,"
said Patsy Kenny to Sir Shawn, "that the little cottage down by the
waterfall is took by a stranger woman."

There was "a blast of talk" even about trifles among the
country-people, from whom Patsy kept his distance with an abhorrence of
gossip and curiosity about other people's business. Many a one had
tried to pump Patsy,--the people had an inordinate curiosity about
their "betters"--and of late tongues had been very busy with the return
of Mrs. Comerford and the reconciliation with Lady O'Gara: also with
Miss Stella and her parentage. Those who tried to pump Patsy Kenny
about these matters embarked, and they knew it, on perilous seas.
Patsy's stiff face as he repelled the gossips was a sight to see. He
had also to keep at bay many questions about Susan Horridge and her
boy, in doing which he showed some asperity and thereby gave a handle
to the gossips.

"I should have thought the cottage by the waterfall a damp place," said
Sir Shawn, indifferently. He was not much interested in the petty
happenings of the neighbourhood.

"She won't stay," Patsy went on with a shake of his head. "They'll get
at her about ould Hercules. A lone woman like that will be scared out
of her life. I saw her in Dunphy's shop buyin' her little bits of
food. She's not the common sort. She was all in black, with a veil
about her face. She'll have no truck with them long-tongued people
about here."

"Oh, a superior class?" said Sir Shawn, now faintly interested. The
Waterfall Cottage was his property. He supposed Norman, who lived in
the town and did his legal business, had let it.

"Not to say a lady," said Patsy, "but nigh hand one. She have the
little place rale snug a