Page:The Snake's Pass (Stoker).djvu/296

 Not me!' said Murdock, and as he spoke I saw him stoop—for as I was at the time lying on the ground I could see his outline against the dark sky. He was looking away from me, and as I looked too I could see him start as he whispered to himself:—

Be God! but it's thrue! there's the gun carriage!' There it was! Art, true enough before my eyes, not ten feet away on the edge of the bog! Moynahan went on:—

Me father tould me that the mountain was different at that time; the bog only kem down about as low as this. Musha! but its the quare lot it has shifted since thin!' There was a pause, broken by Murdock, who spoke in a hoarse, hard voice:—

An' where did he see them nixt?' Moynahan seemed to be getting drunker and drunker, as was manifest in his later speech; his dose of whiskey had no doubt been a good one.

He seen them next to the north beyant—higher up towards Murdock's house.'

Towards Murdock's house! Ye mane Joyce's?'

No, I mane Black Murdock's; the wan he had before he robbed Joyce. But begor! he done himself! It's on Joyce's ground the money is! He's a nagur, anyhow—Black Murdock the Gombeen—bloody end to him!' and he relapsed into silence. I could hear Murdock grind his teeth; then after a pause he spoke as the bottle popped again.

Have a sup; it'll kape out the cowld.' Moynahan took the bottle.