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Rh and Shiana was admitting his love for her, and at the same time placing every sort of obstacle in the way of the match.

—It wasn't found out until Sive's rumour spread throughout the district and until John heard it. Then he struck his knee with the palm of his hand, and said to himself, "Oh, I see now what was on Shiana's mind that day. Isn't it a great wonder," said he, "that he didn't tell me, clean and straight, what he had on his mind, and not to have me at him, urging him to marry one woman, while he had given a promise of marriage to another? Now I think of it," said he, "I wonder what evil fate was over him to make him give such a promise to such a woman."

When John and the priest met they settled the question between them to their own satisfaction. Until then, neither of them had been able to make head or tail of the thing, but when Sive's report reached them they understood it all thoroughly.

—They thought they did, yes. They thought they knew all the ins and outs of the story exactly and completely, as soon as they had heard of the promise; and they were full of pity and sorrow because of the ill-luck that had fallen upon Shiana and the way in which Sive was making mischief and trouble for him.

"I don't know in the world," said the priest, "what dulness of vision came over him to cause him to make such a promise to such a woman."

"I suppose," said John, "he must have done it