Page:Darby O'Gill and the Good People by Herminie Templeton Kavanagh (1903).djvu/165

Rh “I’ll have your life’s blood for this!” the King whuspered, as Barney laid him on the bed betwixt the two childher.

“Come out! come out!” cries Casey, spreading his arms and pushing the three women over the threshold before they knew it.

Then he stood outside, holding the door shut against the three women, thrying to think of a plan, and listening to more blisthering talk than he ever heard on any day before that day, for the three women talked at the same time, aich striving to be more disagreeable than the other. What dhrove him crazy was that his own wife, Judy, was the worst. They threatened him, they wheedled, and they stormed. The priest might ride up at any minute. The sweat rained from Barney’s forehead.

Once in desperaytion he opened the door to let the women pass, but shut it quick agin whin he saw the King standin’ up on the bed and him changing his own clothes for those of little Patsy Mulligan.

Well, the women coaxed till Mrs. Mulligan lost all patience and went and sat sullen on the bench. At that Mrs. Brophy suddenly caught Barney around the waist, and whirling him aside, she and Judy Rh