your business done, an' your trifle o' money earned;" she directed the
last words to the red-haired stranger.

"You keep me out of this secret?" observed Body.

"It's not worth knowin'," said Nell; "I was only thryin' you, Rody. It's
nothing bad. I'm not so cruel as you think. I wouldn't take the wide
world an' shed blood wid my own hands. I tried it once on Lamh Laudher
More, an' when I thought I killed him hell came into me. No; that I may
go _below_ if I would!"

"But you would get others to do it, if you could," said Rody.

"I need get nobody to do it for me," said the crone. "I could wither any
man, woman, or child, off o' the earth, wid one charm, if I wished."

"Why don't you wither young Lamh Laudher then?" said Rody.

"If they fight to-morrow," replied Nell; "mind I say if they do--an' I
now tell you they won't--but I say if they do--you'll see he'll go home
in the coffin that's made for him--an' I know how that'll happen. Now at
eleven we'll meet here if we can to-morrow."

The two men then slunk out, and with great caution proceeded towards
different directions of the town, for Nell had recommended them to keep
as much asunder as possible, least their grouping together might expose
them to notice. Their place of rendezvous was only resorted to on urgent
and necessary occasions.

The next morning, a little after the appointed hour, Nell, Rody, and