CHAPTER V 



The frost that had sharpened the moon 

 and armoured the pools, held its ground for 

 but one night. The voice of the south 

 moaned in the casements, a grey, strong 

 rain followed it, and on the morning of the 

 second day a clean wind blew across the 

 soaked fields, and the sun came forth in a 

 sky of new-born blue. 



Tom Quin's red-haired sister stood at the 

 door of her house, and looked across the 

 furzy uplands to where a long wood climbed 

 and sank on a spur of Cahirdreen hill. Her 

 hair seemed on fire in the sunshine, and 

 the pupils of her light eyes were contracted 

 to pin points by the glare from the white- 

 washed lintel. 



** He's coming," she said, turning back 

 62 



