"
"Why so?" asked Philip.
"That's nothing to you," she replied; "for a raison I have; and mark me,
I warn you not to do so or it'll be worse for you."
"Why, who are we afraid of, barrin Hycy himself?"
"It's no matther; there's them livin' could make you afeard, an' maybe
will, too, if you injure that boy."
"I'd just knock him on the head," replied the ferocious ruffian, "as
soon as I would a mad dog."
"Whisht," said Phats, "here's Hycy; don't you hear his foot?"
Hycy entered in a few moments afterwards, and, after the usual
greetings, sat down by the fire.
"De night's could," said Phats, resuming his brogue; "but here," he
added, pulling out a bottle of whiskey, "is something to warm de blood
in us. Will you thry it, Meeisther Hycy?"
"By-and-by--not now; but help yourselves."
"When did you see Miss Kathleen, Masther Hycy," asked Kate.
"You mean Miss Kathleen the Proud?" he replied--"my Lady Dignity--I have
a crow to pluck with her."
"What crow have you to pluck wid her?" asked Kate, fiercely. "You'll
pluck no crow wid her, or, if you do, I'll find a bag to hould the
fedhers--mind that."
"No, no," said Philip; "whatever's to be done, she must come to no
harm."
"Why, the crow I have to pluck with her, Mrs. Hogan, is--let me
see--why--to--to marry her--to bind her in the bands of holy wedlock;
and you know, when I do, I'm to give you all a house and place free
gratis for nothing during your lives--that's what I pledge myself to do,
and not a rope to hang yourselves, worthy gentlemen, as Finigan would
say.
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