ous movements, especially at night; for that he was enveloped in
mystery--was a fact of which he felt no doubt whatsoever. He accordingly
resolved to cancel the consequences even of the equivocal allusion to
him which he had made, and which he saw at a glance that Caterine's keen
suspicions had interpreted into a bad sense.

"So you see, Katty," he proceeded, "agra-machree that you wor, don't
lift me, as I said, till I fall; but what harm is it to be fond of a
spree wid a purty girl? Sure it's a good man's case; but I'll tell you
more; you must know the misthress's wig took fire this mornin', and she
was within an inch of havin' the house in flames. Ah, it's she that blew
a regular breeze, threatened to make the masther and the other two take
to their travels from about the house and place, and settle the same
house and place upon Mr. Harry."

"Well, Barney," said Caterine, deeply interested, "what was the upshot?"

"Why, that Masther Harry--long life to him--parted company wid her on
the spot; said he would take part wid the masther and the other two, and
tould her to her teeth that he did not care a damn about the property,
and that she might leave it as a legacy to ould Nick, who, he said,
desarved it better at her hands than he did."

"Well, well," replied Caterine, "I never thought he was such a fool
as all that comes to. Devil's cure to him, if she laves it to some one
else! that's my compassion for him."

"Well, but, Caterine, what's the news? When will the sky fall, you that
knows so much about futurity?"

"The news is anything but good, Barney. The sky will fall some Sunday
in the middle of next week, and then for the lark-catching. But tell me,
Barney, is Mr. Harry within? because, if he is, I'd thank you to let him
know that I wish to see him. I have a bit of favor to ask of him about
my uncle Solomon's cabin; the masther's threatnin' to pull it down."

Now, Barney knew the assertion to be a lie, because it was only a day or
two previous to the conversation that he had heard Mr. Lindsay express
his intention of building the old herbalist a new one. He kept his
knowledge of this to himself, however.

"And so you want him to change the masther's mind upon the subject.
Faith and you're just in luck after this mornin's skirmish--skirmish!
no bedad, but a field day itself; the masther could refuse him nothing.
Will I say what you want him for?"

"You may or you may not; but, on second thoughts, I think it