Meehaul Neil paused and looked after him, equally struck with surprise
and contempt at his apparent want of spirit.
"Well," he exclaimed to those who stood about him, "by the life within
me, if all the parish had sworn that Lamh Laudher Oge was a coward, I'd
not a b'lieved them!"
"Faix, Misther Neil, who would, no more, than yourself?" they replied;
"devil the likes of it ever we seen! The young fellow that no man could
stand afore five minutes!"
"That is," replied others, "bekase he never met a man that would fight
him. You see when he did, how he has turned out. One thing any how is
clear enough--after this he can never rise his head while he lives."
CHAPTER III.
Meehaul now directed his steps homewards, literally stunned by the
unexpected cowardice of his enemy. On approaching his father's door, he
found Nell M'Collum seated on a stone bench, waiting his arrival.
The moment she espied him she sprang to her feet, and with her usual
eagerness of manner, caught the breast of his coat, and turning him
round towards the moonlight, looked eagerly into his face.
"Well," she inquired, "did he show his fire-arms? Well? What was done?"
"Somebody has been making a fool of you, Nell," replied Meehaul; "he
had neither fire-arms, nor staff, nor any thing else; an' for my part, I
might as well have left mine at home."
"Well, but, _douol_, man, what was done? Did you smash him? Did you
break his bones?"
"None of that, Nell, but worse; he's disgraced for ever.
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