SHIANA
169
Abbie.—What happened to her, Nora?
Nora.—Kate will tell you, she will tell it best.
Abbie.—What happened to her, Kate?
Kate.—Why, nothing happened to her but half what she deserved, the rogue! Nell was married only three weeks. She was at home in the house, and Edmund was out looking after the cows, as one of them had just calved. After a while he came in, and Nell was crying. He asked her what was the matter with her. It was some time before she told him that a fortune-teller had been asking her for money, and that because she did not give her the money she had said Nell would be a widow before the year would be out. While Edmund was out minding the cows he had noticed the strange woman going away from the house, and he knew what road she had taken. He did not do one bit but to take the whip that was hanging beside the door, and to stick it up the sleeve of his coat, and to rush out at the door. He was gone before Nell knew what he was doing. He soon overtook the woman. "Why," said he, "did you say to my wife that I should die within a year?" "I would not have said it," said she, "but for my knowing it well." "Who told it to you?" said he. "My fairy lover told it to me," said she. He caught her by the back of the head and drew the whip out of his sleeve, and he flogged her there with the whip as soundly as ever Con-the-Master flogged any of the scholars he had at his school. When he had flogged her well he let her go. "There!" said he. "Isn't it a
