Page 288 - The snake's pass

2ft> THE SNAKE'S PASS.
have said nothing to a soul ; but I shall be really more
comfortable in my mind when the man has gone away."
By the time I had finished the letter, Mr. Chapman
had run through his correspondence—vacation business
was not much in his way—and we discussed affairs.
The settlement of matters connected with my estate,
and the purchase of Knockcalltecrore, together with the
making of certain purchases—including a ring for Norah
—kept me a few days in London ; but at length all was
complete, and I started on my trip to the West of
Ireland. Before leaving, I wrote to Norah that I would
be at Knockcalltecrore on the morning of the 20th Octo-
ber ; and also to Dick, asking him to see that Andy
was sent to meet me at Galway on the morning of the
19th—for I preferred rather to have the drive in soli-
tude, than to be subjected to the interruptions of chance
fellow-passengers.
At Dublin Mr. Caicy met me, as agreed ; and toge-
ther we went to various courts, chambers, offices, and
banks—completing the purchase with all the endless
official formalities and eccentricities habitual to a country
whose administration has traditionally adopted and
adapted every possible development of all belonging to
red-tape.
At last, however, all was completed; and very early
the next morning Mr. Caicy took his seat in the G-alway
express, in a carriage with the owner of Knockcallte-
crore, to whom he had been formally appointed Irish
law agent.