I be out last night? Indeed I was not. But when I went home from the fair I sat down in my chair and I fell asleep, and I declare to you I stayed there till morning."
"Why then indeed, that's strange! And look you, when you were leaving this house yesterday evening there was no sign of drink on you, and it was quite early in the evening. Where did you stop?"
"Oh, the blessing of God be on the souls of your dead, Dermot, and let me alone. I didn't stop anywhere, but went straight home. It wasn't drink or play that was troubling me, I promise you."
He handed the pound to Dermot, and took the road without more delay, for fear that any further questions would be put to him. He had made up his mind to take three or four pounds' worth more leather, but he was afraid that Dermot would ask who had given him the money. As he was going the road home, his mind and thoughts were much disturbed, and he was turning things over and over, and over and over, trying to make out what had happened to the money on the fair-day.
"If I were to be thinking of it for a year from to-day," said he, "I could never understand what is the meaning of it."
And all the way his left hand never parted from the side of his waistcoat in which the purse was, and he kept his right hand thrust to the elbow in his breeches' pocket, running the gold through his fingers.
Peg.—I don't know in the world, Sheila, but he was doing it, any way, and he didn't stop doing it until he got home. He felt more in humour for
