be worth his while to look at the side of the road she would be on, and in fact that it would be better worth his while to look on that side than on the other. And perhaps when Sive would see Cormac in that frame of mind she might not be at all disinclined to say in her own mind that there are men to be found who are uglier than he."
"Ha! ha! ha!" said Dermot. "Well, what a joke, Father!" said he. "Who knows but that things may be better than we imagined them to be? 'The thing a man would regret more than his death, he does not know but it may be the very best thing for him.'"
With that, who should walk in at the door to them but the big tinker.
CHAPTER XXII.
THE BIG TINKER'S TALE.
A long-limbed, broad-shouldered, sallow man was the big tinker. A lean, strong man. He was slightly pitted with small-pox, and he had very little beard. His eyes were slightly prominent and pursed underneath. He was long-nosed, long-cheeked, well shaped in the jaw and mouth. He was welcome in every company, for he was always making sport and fun and pastime for everybody.
In he walked to them, and no sooner did he see the priest than he drew back a little. He snatched the
