me by the hand or cloak when I ride by, and has courage not to
let go his grip, I'll be safe. Here's the king. Don't open your
mouth to answer. I saw what happened with the ointment."

'The Dark Man didn't once cast his eye towards Molly, and he
seemed to have no suspicion of me. When we came out I looked
about me, and where do you think we were but in the dyke of the
Rath of Cromogue. I was on the horse again, which was nothing but
a big rag-weed, and I was in dread every minute I'd fall off; but
nothing happened till I found myself in my own cabin. The king
slipped five guineas into my hand as soon as I was on the ground,
and thanked me, and bade me good night. I hope I'll never see his
face again. I got into bed, and couldn't sleep for a long time;
and when I examined my five guineas this morning, that I left in
the table drawer the last thing, I found five withered leaves of
oak--bad luck to the giver!'

Well, you may all think the fright, and the joy, and the grief
the poor man was in when the woman finished her story. They
talked and they talked, but we needn't mind what they said till
Friday night came, when both were standing where the mountain
road crosses the one going to Ross.

There they stood, looking towards the bridge of Thuar, in the
dead of the night, with a little moonlight shining from over
Kilachdiarmid. At last she gave a start, and "By this and by
that," says she, "here they come, bridles jingling and feathers
tossing!" He looked, but could see nothing; and she stood
trembling and her eyes wide open, looking down the way to the
ford of Ballinacoola. "I see your wife," says she, "riding on the