‘Then what do you mean to do?’ asked she hurriedly.
‘Walk boldly through the village at the head of your pony, as I am now—your guide to Croghan Castle.’
‘But we were to have stabled the beast here. I intended to have gone on foot to Croghan.’
‘Which you cannot now. Do you know what English law is, lady?’ cried he fiercely. ‘This pony and this carriage, if they had shelter here, are confiscated to the landlord for his rent. It’s little use to say you owe nothing to this owner of the soil; it’s enough that they are found amongst the chattels of his debtors.’
‘I cannot believe this is law.’
‘You can prove it—at the loss of your pony; and it is mercy and generous dealing when compared with half the enactments our rulers have devised for us. Follow me. I see the police have not yet come down. I will go on in front and ask the way to Croghan.’
There was that sort of peril in the adventure now that stimulated Nina and excited her; and as they stoutly wended their way through the crowd, she was far from insensible to the looks of admiration that were bent on her from every side.
‘What are they saying?’ asked she; ‘I do not know their language.’
‘It is Irish,’ said he; ‘they are talking of your beauty.’
‘I should so like to follow their words,’ said she, with the smile of one to whom such homage had ever its charm.