The Irish standard., 1909-07-24

ot faxo rent Tree, anu SOME man about
here works the property on shares for
her. It's that billy land about a mile
east of the house, where the big elm
is. You remember, l told you the
new golf links would take in that tree
| and the land around It,"
Our return trip from the railway
| station took US past Hoskins' again,
and that individual was summing him.
self in front of the house as we drove
| up.
by the way, Hoskins," said Mac.
, Ardel. stopping his horse and beckon.
ing the man toward him. what's the
name of the fellow that owns this out.
ft?"
Jerks" said Hoskins, briefly.
Sam jerks, tn lazy cuss."
When is he going to marry the
widow?" asked MacArdel, in a most
matter-of-fact way.
That's jest it," replied Hoskins in
obvious disgust. "You tell me an I'll
tell you. Goodness knows; he's ben
arsparkin' her long enough; ever sence
'baout month after her boy got kill
ed. S'pose he felt kinder sorry fer
her at first, an then, after a time, he
began teh git mushy over it. wish
teh goodness he'd either marry her or
leave her alone! What with his gal
livantin' all over the country with her
every week or ten days, an not gittin'
his boss in TIL stable till nigh onto
daylight, there's no dependin' on him
teh meet tn trains or do anything
else, fur that matter! Here he is now,
abed an asleep, an eff it hadn't ben
fur you gents a-drivin' up teh tn
deepo', we wouldn't ha got no mail
till night, in all probability"
With this remark he fished out two
mail bags which the station master
must have tossed into the back of
the wagon as We were driving away.
1--WE thought it was he and Mrs.
Bruce that we saw last night" said
MacArdel, pleasantly. I'VE were out
enjoying the moonlight when they
drove down the road"
Didn't see nuthin else, did ye?"
asked Hoskins, in confidential tone.
"Why, not" laughed MacArdel.
Why do you ask?"
"Wal," said Hoskins, drawing near.
er and speaking seriously, "Jenks says
tn ghosts wuz abaout agin' an they
went past him, daown tn road jest as
he wuz a-turnin' into tn pike His boss
give Jump as they went scootin' by,
an it threw him agin tn dash an cut
his hand some. He called me up teh
git him rag teh tie araound it an he
looked scared enough to ha seen 20
ghosts
"Was his hand badly hurt?" asked.
"Nuthin' teh speak Of said Hos
kins. "Jest a little nick along the
side like he'd gouged a piece aouten
it,"
"See here, Hoskins!" said MacArdel
sharply. Eve didn't see any ghosts
last night, and all your friend jerks
| could have seen was ourselves, in our
shirt-sleeves, walking back of the
hedge by the river road. You remem-
Der how his horse jumped and ran,
don't you, Ware?"
Certainly" I replied, obediently
| 1--WE wondered what the trouble was,
at the time"
Nov, then, Hoskins," continued
MacArdel, looking at his watch and
speaking rapidly. Don't let jerks hear
a word about this business. He don't
know that had trunk at the station,
and, If we can get back here before
he wakes up, he needn't even know
that we've had his wagon"
mo fear of his wakin' up fur good
bit yet" grinned Hoskins. "He wuz so
scared when he got in that he liked
teh ha' finished a pint O. whisky fore
could stop him."
$50 much the better" said MacAr-
den, gathering up the reins. Now, re.
member what l say, and keep this
business to yourself Well have some
fun with him before he gets through"
We drove as rapidly as the tired
beast could carry US, until we reached
the gate leading into the stable
grounds, when. MacArdel pulled up
suddenly and said:
Lets dump the trunk in here. We
can carry 1t up to the house after we
get this horse and wagon back where
they belong. No one will touch it
here"
AS soon as the trunk was on the
ground by the side of the roadway,
! MacArdel dragged out the parcel from
under the blankets and, opening it on
tho 0raea hogan fo ora roino tho y,}oeos
infinitely.
After moment he Strengthened up
and exclaimed:
Its just as thought. It's the same
stuff that We found last night and
the scoundrel went back and got 'em
all after we had gone to bed!"
| CHAHPTER XII.