it like a brick. An' I'm not sure but there are two av thim," he said,
jerking his thumb toward Barney. "Ye ought to have seen him stand
there houldin' the light an' passin' the doctor sthrings, an' the blood
spoutin' like a stuck pig. What happened afther, it's mesilf can't tell
ye at all, for I was restin' quietly by mesilf on the floor on the broad
av me back, an' naither av thim takin' annythin' to do wid me except
to drown me wid watther betune times. Indeed, it's himsilf is the born
doctor, an' so he is," continued Tom, warming to his theme, "for wid his
hands red wid blood an' his face as white as yer apron, ma'am, niver a
shiver did he give until the last knot was tied an' the last stitch was
sewed. Bedad! there's not a man in the county could do the same."

There was no stopping Tom in his recital, and after many attempts Barney
finally gave it up, and began unhitching his horse. Meantime the sound
of the dancing had ceased, and suddenly up through the silence there
rose a voice in song to the accompaniment of some stringed instrument.
It was an arresting voice. The group about the horse stood perfectly
still as the voice rose and soared and sank and rose again in an old
familiar plantation air.

"Who in thunder is that?" cried Barney, turning to his mother.

But his mother shook her head. "Indeed, I know not, but it's likely yon
strange girl that came out from town with the Murrays."

"I know," cried Teenie Ross, Rory's sister, with a little toss of her
head, "Alec told me. She is the girl who has come to take the teacher's
place for a month. She is the niece of Sheriff Hossie. Her father was
a colonel in the Southern army, California or Virginia or some place, I
don't just remember. Oh! I know all about her, Alec told me," continued