Page:Darby O'Gill and the Good People by Herminie Templeton Kavanagh (1903).djvu/157

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THE ADVENTURES OF KING BRIAN CONNORS

hair streaming, and her red cloak fluttering behind. She crunched the chief man of the fairies undher her left elbow, his head hanging behind, with as little riverence as if, saving your presence, he were a sthray gander.

Well, your honour, Peggy ran till there wasn’t a breath in her before she slowed down to a walk, and then she flung the King over her right chowldher, his face on her back in that way some careless women carry childher. This set his head free.

When he saw who it was had stolen him, oh, but he was vexed; for all that he didn’t say a word as they went, but lay there on her collar-bone, bobbing up and down, blinking his eyes, and thinking what he should do to her. At last he quietly raiched over with his teeth and took a bite at the back of her neck that she felt to her toes. Wow! Your honour should have heard the screech Peggy let out of her!

Well, as she gave that screech she gave a jerk at the King’s legs, pulling him down. As he flopped intil her arms he took a wisp of her hair with him. For a second’s time the spiteful little eyes in the ould weazened face, looking up at her own from undher the goold crown, froze her stiff with terror, and then,

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