air was followed by a welcome gleam of light; she was approaching the
opening. The next moment she had found it. She stood nearly up to her
knees in the water; the shaft of moonlight was piercing down into the
cave. Nora went and stood in the moonlight. The hole at the top was
little more than a foot in width; there was a chasm, a jagged chasm,
through which the light came. She could see a bit of cloudless sky,
and the cold moonlight fell all over her.

"Oh, Banshee!--Lady Spirit who belongs to our house, come and speak
to me," cried the girl. "Come from your home in the rock and give me
a word of comfort. A dark time is near, and we implore your help.
Come, come, Banshee--it is the O'Shanaghgans who want you. It is
Nora O'Shanaghgan who calls you now."

The sound of a laugh came from the darkness behind her, and the next
instant the startled girl saw the big form of Andy Neil approaching.

"Don't you be frightened, Miss Nora," he said. "I aint the Banshee,
but I am as good. Faix, now, I want to say something to you. I have
come here for the purpose. There! don't be frightened. I won't hurt
ye--not I; but I want yez to promise me something."

"What is that?" said Nora.

"I have come here for the purpose. _She_ aint no good." He
indicated with a motion of his thumb the distant form of Biddy
within the dark recess of the cave.

"Does Miss Murphy know you have followed me?" said Nora.