Page:The Father Confessor, Stories of Danger and Death.djvu/214

204 a match from me, to light his pipe. He told me he was to be married as soon as the banns were called. He seemed very light-hearted." The man glanced pitifully at the girl's figure hiding in the shadow. "I never seen or heard of him since."

"He said he had business to do when he left us, and that a lamb of his had strayed, that he must look for before morning; but it was not dark, and the lamb was there next day, but he had gone."

The girl's little sister drew her chair to the fire, looking fearfully behind her. "Maybe he walked on the sleeping grass," she whispered, thinking of the fairies, but nobody heeded her.

"Maybe he ran from the wedding," a bold young voice giggled from near the door. "Maybe he's off to Dublin, and some of the grand ladies have caught hold of him."

"Shame upon you! Kathleen O' Grady." The girl's mother spied into the darkness where her daughter sat so quiet. "Well you know he was after Eileen since they were children together."

"And he is going to give her the jackdaw you wanted, Kathleen," the girl's sister said,