"But where did yez find her?" asked another, pushing Kitty aside.
"Why, where the police didn't find her, of course!" laughed Murtagh.
"Then it's plenty o' places ye had to choose from; but tell us now, Mr. Murtagh, honey, how did yez find her? How was she?"
"Pining for a sight of you, Mrs. Malachy," replied Murtagh, turning to the village schoolmistress.
"Sure, Theresa! Is it yer own self come back?" cried a woman from the edge of the crowd. "Tell out now; who was it spirited ye away?"
"The fairies—the good people," cried Rose and Winnie together, while Theresa blushed and laughed.
"Ah, Mr. Murtagh, my jewel, give over jokin' and tell us where ye found her," called Kitty again, having elbowed her way back close to them.
"Wouldn't any one know you're a woman, Kitty?" began Murtagh, when a man on the other side of him interrupted in a heavy voice:
"Don't tell her a word, Mr. Murtagh; she's the curiousest woman in the place."
"And you'd like me to tell you instead," said Murtagh, looking up with a merry twinkle. "Ah, well, if you want to know, it was Miss Winnie's bright eyes did the business."