"It is all the same whether or no," said the priest. "It is childish to take any notice of such a thing, but I should like to know whether anybody else heard this hen crowing."
"I did not hear her myself," said Dermot. "And there is no fear that Poll heard her, because she is as deaf as a bittle; and indeed I did not hear anybody else say that she was heard."
"So I thought," said the priest. "I suppose that woman must have heard something of this rumour that is afloat concerning Sive; that she did not stop until she went down to the very city of Dublin. Then that she sent a hunt and a pursuit and a search after that thief, so that he was caught and hanged. And that the King gave Sive the three hundred pounds that had been taken from her and another three hundred along with it."
"Stop! stop! Father," said Dermot. "What is that you are saying, Father? How could that poor girl go to Dublin and find her way through the city? A little girl that was never more than twenty miles from home!"
"I am only telling what the rumour is that I heard," said the priest. "I dare say that woman who pretends to tell fortunes, and can't, must have heard the same rumour, and that she thought if she had the first of the story for you she would get a 'hand-reach' of money out of you, which I dare say she did."
"She did not get much, Father," said Dermot. "But what sort of rumour is it? or what set it going?"
"Well, I was coming over myself to tell you what was going on, when I met the messenger who said
