Page 176 - The snake's pass

164 THE SNAKE'S PASS.
that yer nicht wanderins doesn't bring ye ento trouble,"
and he went away.
At last I got so miserable about my own love affair
that I thought I might do a good turn to Dick; and
so I determined to try to buy from Murdock his
holding on Knockcalltecrore, and then to give it to
my friend, as I felt that the possession of the place,
with power to re-exchange with Joyce, would in no way
militate against his interests with Norah.
"With this object in view I went out one afternoon to
Knockcalltecrore, when I knew that Dick had arranged
to visit the cutting at Knocknacar. I did not tell any-
one where I was going, and took good care that Andy
went with Dick. I had acquired a dread of that astute
gentleman's inferences.
It was well in the afternoon when I got to Knock-
calltecrore. Murdock was out at the edge of the bog
making some investigations on his own account with
the aid of the magnets. He flew into a great rage when
he saw me, and roundly accused me of coming to spy
upon him. I disclaimed any such meanness, and told
him that he should be ashamed of such a suspicion. It
was not my cue to quarrel with him, so I restrained
myself as well as I could, and quietly told him that I
had come on a matter of business.
He was anxious to get me away from the bog, and
took me into the house ; here I broached my subject
to him, for I knew he was too astute a man for my
going round the question to be of any use.