as a
fortune with her, or refuse to marry her and give up all that was coming
to you; and tell me in the morning which of the two things you have
chosen."

"Och! _Domnoo Sheery_! father, you wouldn't say that to me, and I such a
good son as I am. Who told you I wouldn't marry the girl?" says he.

But his father was gone, and the lad knew well enough that he would keep
his word too; and he was greatly troubled in his mind, for as quiet and
as kind as the father was, he never went back of a word that he had
once said, and there wasn't another man in the country who was harder to
bend than he was.

The boy did not know rightly what to do. He was in love with the girl
indeed, and he hoped to marry her sometime or other, but he would much
sooner have remained another while as he was, and follow on at his old
tricks--drinking, sporting, and playing cards; and, along with that, he
was angry that his father should order him to marry, and should threaten
him if he did not do it.

"Isn't my father a great fool," says he to himself. "I was ready enough,
and only too anxious, to marry Mary; and now since he threatened me,
faith I've a great mind to let it go another while."

His mind was so much excited that he remained between two notions as to
what he should do. He walked out into the night at last to cool his
heated blood, and went on to the road. He lit a pipe, and as the night
was fine he walked and walked on, until the quick pace made him begin to
forget his trouble. The night was bright, and the moon half full. There
was not a breath of wind blowing, and the air was calm and mild. He
walked on for nearly three hours, when he suddenly remembered that it
was late in the night, and time for him to turn. "Musha! I think I
forgot myself," says he; "it must be near twelve o'clock now."

The word was hardly out of his mouth, when he heard the sound of many
voices, and the trampling of feet on the road before him. "I don't know
who can be out so late at night as this, and on such a lonely road,"
said he to himself.

He stood listening, and he heard the voices of many people talking
through other, but he could not understand what they were saying. "Oh,
wirra!" says he, "I'm afraid. It's not Irish or English they have; it
can't be they're Frenchmen!" He went on a couple of yards further, and
he saw well enough by the light of the moon a band of little people
coming towards him, and they were carrying something big and heavy wi