listen to me."

"And who may your reverence be thinking of?"

"I'm thinking of Peter M'Shane. He gets as much as six shillings a
week and his keep on Murphy's farm, and his mother has got a bit
of money, and they have a nice, clean cabin. Now listen to me.
There is a poultry lecture at the school-house to-night. Do you
think you could bring your sister with you?"

"We used to keep a great many hens at home, and Kate had the
feeding of them, and now she's turned agin them, and she wants to
live in town, and she even tells Pat Connex she would not marry a
farmer, however much he was worth."

"But if you tell her that Pat Connex will be at the lecture will
she come?"

"Yes, your reverence, if she believes me."

"Then do as I bid you," said the priest; "you can tell her that
Pat Connex will be there."


II

After leaving the priest Ned crossed over the road to avoid the
public-house. He went for a walk on the hills, and it was about
five when he turned towards the village. On his way there he met
his father, and Ned told him that he had been to see the priest,