Page:Shiana - Peadar Ua Laoghaire.djvu/181

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SHIANA
167

your enemies, as if a person nearer home and of nearer kin to ye could not be found to do it."

"Who intends to injure us?" said Dermot. She sprang to her feet and faced him. He did not look her between the eyes, because he could see only one of her eyes. That was enough for him. There was no sleepiness in that one eye, nor any short-sightedness. She held out her right hand towards him. He drew a piece of money out of his pocket and put it in the middle of her palm. She blew a puff of her breath upon it. I suppose it was larger than she expected it to be, for she was thrown off her guard. Her hold slipped off the hood of her cloak, and her face was revealed. She was blind of one eye, and her mouth was twisted back almost to where the ear ought to be, and the ear was gone. Dermot drew back from her, and I tell you he was afraid.

"Who intends to injure you?" said she. "Fire and water intend to injure you," said she. "Disease and death intend to injure you," said she, "There are things bent on injuring you," said she, "which you little expect. But that I was not far from you day or night for the past three weeks, you would know by this time who the people are who are bent on injuring you," said she to Dermot. "And I should think," said she, "that it was enough for me to be protecting you and not to be protecting your daughter also, far asunder as you and she are."

"Where is she?" said Dermot. "Or what is keeping her away? Or why did she go without sending tale or tidings home here to me so that I might know whether she was dead or alive? She has