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Rh black gallows! Why didn't you tell me that at first?" "I am telling it to you now, and you have only to tell me to stop in time." "Stop, then," said Thade. "I wouldn't believe from all the world that you could do it, but at the same time I don't mind letting you play your tricks upon somebody else." "I'll engage," said Michael, "that the broom will put you out at the door if I tell it to do it." Thade looked at the broom. It was standing near the door. It was a fine new heavy broom. All the company laughed when they heard the word. "You couldn't put me out yourself," said Thade, "and it is hard to believe that you could make the broom do what you couldn't do yourself." "I couldn't put you out myself," said Michael; "and, if you had a good stick, there are no four men here that could put you out" (Thade had got a name for his great strength since the day when he beat the seven men who followed him from Millstreet to kill him); "but I'll bet you now that that broom below will put you out." Thade got his stick ready, and Michael spoke to the broom. Thade stood in the middle of the house. The broom rose and tried to strike him between the eyes. The stick was good and the arm was strong, and indeed Thade defended his head and face, but it struck him on the feet, and it struck him on the shins, and it struck him on the knees, and it struck him on the thighs, and in the back, and in the ribs, so that after a while he didn't know what was happening to him. At last he shouted for the door to be opened