Page 368 - The snake's pass

356 THE snake's pass. —
bour Naboth, and as Jezebel wrought evil to aid him
to his desire, so this man hath coveted his neighbour's
goods and wrought evil to ruin him. And now behold
his fate, even as the fate of Ahab and Jezebel! He
went without warning and without rites—and no man
knows where his body lies. The fishes of the sea
have preyed on him, even as the dogs on Jezebel."
Here Joyce joined us, and he turned to him:
" And do you, Michael Joyce, take to heart the lesson
of God's goodness ! Ye thought when yer land and
yer house was taken that a great wrong was done ye,
and that God had deserted ye ; and yet so inscrutable
are His ways that these very things were the salvation
of ye and all belonging to ye. For in his stead you
and yours would have been swept in that awful
"
avalanche into the sea !
And now the head constable returned with Dick, and
the priest went out. I took the former aside and asked
him if there would be any need for Norah to remain,
as there were other witnesses to all that had occurred.
He told me that there was not the slightest need. Then
he went away after telling the people that we all had
had a long spell of trouble and labour, and would want
to be quiet and have some rest. And so, with a good
feeling and kindness of heart which I have never seen
lacking in this people, they melted away ; and we all came
within the house, and shut the door, and sat round the
fire to discuss what should be done. Then and there we
decided that the very next day Norah should start with