It resembled the cry of a female--if it resembled anything earthly at all--struck by a sudden and mortal blow, and giving out life in one long, deep pang of agony. "Heaven defend us!" exclaimed Mrs Barry. "Go you over the hedge, Leary, and save that woman, if she is not yet dead." "Woman!" said Leary, beating the horse violently, while his voice trembled. "That's no woman; the sooner we get on, ma'am, the better," and he urged the horse forward. There was now a heavy spell of darkness as the moon was once again hidden by the clouds, but, though they could see nothing, they heard screams of despair and anguish, accompanied by a loud clapping of the hands, just as if some person on the other side of the hedge was running along in a line with their horse's head, and keeping pace with them. When they came to within ten yards of the spot where the avenue branched off to Mr Bourke's on the left, and the road to Spring House led away to the right, the moon suddenly reappeared, and they saw, with startling distinctness, the figure of a tall, thin woman, with uncovered head, and long hair floating round her shoulders, attired in a kind of cloak or sheet, standing at the corner of the hedge, just where the road along which they were driving met that which led to Spring House. She had her face turned towards them, and, whilst pointing with her left hand in the direction of Spring House, with her right was beckoning them to hurry. As they advanced she became more and more agitated, until finally, leaping into the road in front of them, and still pointing with outstretched arm in the direction of Spring House, she took up her stand at the entrance to the Avenue, as if to bar their way, and glared defiantly at them. "Go on, Leary, in God's name!" exclaimed Mrs Barry. "'Tis the Banshee," said Leary, "and I could not, for what my life is worth, go anywhere this blessed night but to Spring House. But I'm afraid there's something bad going forward, or she would not send us there." He pressed on towards Spring House, and almost directly afterwards clouds covered the moon, and the Banshee disappeared; the sound of her clapping, though continuing for some time, gradually becoming fainter and fainter, until it finally ceased altogether. On their arrival at Spring House they learnt that a dreadful tragedy had just taken place.