Part 6 (1/2)

”'Come out in the hall a bit.' I whispered, and she come. I clasped her hand for a moment and said: 'It's goin' home I am, Maggie; I am goin' to fix me house a little: it will take me forty days to make me arrangements. If I come thin, will you take me name and go back with me?'

”'I will,' says she.

”This is the sivinteenth of the month, Maggie; the sivinteenth of next month will be thirty days, and tin more will make it the twinty-sivinth.

If I come thin, will yees go?' I asked.

”'I will, Barney, Dear,' was the answer.

”'Have yees thought it over, and will yees be satisfied, darlint?' I asked.

”'I have, Barney; I shall be satisfied, and I will be a good wife to yees, darlint,' was the answer.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MAGGIE.]

”Thin I hild out me arms and she sprang into thim. There was an embrace and a kiss and thin--

”'Goodbye, Maggie!'

”'Good bye, Barney!' and I wint away.

”I wint to a ristaurant and got a cup of coffee, and was jist startin'

fer home, whin a frind come up and said: 'Barney,' said he; 'there's a man here you ought to go and punch the nose off of.'

”'What fur,' says I.

”'He's a slanderin' of yer,' says he.

”'Who is the man and what is he sayin?' says I.

”'It's Mike Dougherty, the blacksmith,' says he; and he is a sayin' as how your claim is no account, and that you are a b.u.mmer.'

”Me heart was too light to think of quarrelin'; on me lips the honey of Maggie's kiss was still warm, and what did I care what ony man said. I merely laughed, and said: 'Maybe he is right,' and wint upon me way.”

With this Corrigan ceased speaking. After a moment or two of silence, Carlin said:

”Well, Barney, how was it in six weeks?”

”I had another mirage thin,” said Barney. ”I wint up to town; called at Mrs. O'Kelly's; she mit me, smilin' like, and said: 'Walk in, Mr.

Corrigan!' I said: 'If you please, Mrs. O'Kelly, can I see Miss Murphy?'

There was a vicious twinkle in her eye, as she answered, pointin' to a nate house upon the hillside, as she spoke.

”'You will find her there, but her name is changed now. She was married on Thursday wake, to Mr. Mike Dougherty, the blacksmith. A foine man, and man of property, is Mr. Dougherty.'

”Talk about shtrong impressions! For a moment I felt as though I was fallin' down a shaft. I----but don't mention it.”

Barney was still for a moment, and then said, in a voice almost husky: ”As I came into town that day, all the great pines were noddin,'