eight o'clock before
They had discovered her departure , and he was already coming to drag her back ! She heard his feet descending the hall steps ; but they were as slow and as deliberate as usual ; and she could perceive that , instead of coming down the avenue , he turned towards the stables . This was a slight relief to her -- it was evident she was not yet missed ; but she was dreadfully cold , and what was she to do if Thady heard the noise of the gig , and perceived that it had stopped at their gate ? Ussher had driven over to Mohill early in the morning , and had gotten everything ready for his departure in the manner he had proposed ; but when the time for starting came , he had been detained by business connected with his official duties , and it was eight o'clock before he was able to bid adieu to the interesting town of Mohill . He had then , at the risk of his own neck , driven off as fast as Fred Brown 's broken-knee 'd horse could take him , and was proceeding at a gallop towards Ballycloran , when he was stopped near Mrs. Mehan 's well-known shop by Biddy , who was standing by the road-side opposite . He stopped the horse as quick as he could , and Biddy came running to him with Feemy 's bundle . `` Is that yer honer , at last ?