66
SHIANA
At that moment he saw his mother coming to him, with a face as white as death. He sprang to meet her.
"Why, mother," he said," what's wrong with you?"
"Hush, hush, my son!" she said in a whisper.
"There's nothing wrong with me. Go away in to your work. The other men are just coming."
Michael went in. The door was wide open, and not a human being was in before him. Shiana's place was empty. Michael sat down and drew his work to him. The men came one by one. The work went on as usual. Shiana did not return that day.
Sheila.—Whisper, Peg; surely Hannah wasn't match-making for Sive?
Peg.—What then, Sheila dear?
Sheila.—For Short Mary, I'll be bound. And I should think that if Michael had had any sense he would have understood that.
Abbie.—And how do you know, Sheila, that it was for Short Mary she was making the match, or how do you know she was match-making at all?
Sheila.—Oh, indeed, I have very little doubt about it. What did she and Short Mary spend the night whispering about? What took the night's sleep away from both of them? What was the secret that Short Mary told her? I know very well what they were about, I promise you.
Peg.—It seems to me, Sheila, that you are not far from the truth, and that you are much quicker to see it than Michael.
