CHAPTER XIII. TWO VISITS.
My next duty was to obtain Granny Meehan's consent to Winifred's departure for America. I found her sitting beside the hearth in her accustomed place, with the cat at her feet. Winifred was absent, and in the outer court was the pleasant sunshine falling over solitude. Only the fowls, so variously named by Winifred, disported themselves before the window.
Mrs. Meehan greeted me cheerfully and cordially, and I saw that no shadow of future events had fallen upon her yet. Our conversation at first was on the usual topics—the fine weather, the prospect of good crops. Then, as it were of a sudden, I remarked:
"Well, Mrs. Meehan, I have seen the schoolmaster."
Granny started, and stared at me in silence for a few moments.
"Where, then, ma'am dear?" she asked uneasily.
"In his own house."
"In the cabin up beyant there?" she cried in amazement. "Tell me was it up there?"
"Yes, in the cabin amongst the hills, on the day of the storm," I answered very calmly.