Page 81 - The snake's pass

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THE SECRETS OF THE BOG. 69 " —
and 'ha'd —then with a smile he said quite
'
frankly :
" The fact is that I am not at liberty to say. The
worthy Gombeen Man put a special clause in our agree-
ment that I was not during the time of my engagement to
mention to any one the object of my work. He wanted
the clause to run that I was never to mention it ; but
I kicked at that, and only signed in the modified
form."
I thought to myself "more mysteries at Shleenanaher !
Dick went on :
" However, I have no doubt that you will very soon
gather the object for yourself. You are yourself some-
"
thing of a scientist, if I remember ?
" Not me " I answered. My Great Aunt took care
!
of that when she sent me to our old tutor. Or, indeed,
to do the old boy justice, he tried to teach me some-
thing of the kind; but I found out it wasn't my vogue.
Anyhow, I haven't done anything lately."
"
" How do you mean ?
It's not a year
" I haven't got over being idle yet.
since I came into my fortune. Perhaps—indeed I hope
that I may settle down to work again."
" I'm sure I hope so, too, old fellow," he answered
gravely. "When a man has once tasted the pleasure
of real work, especially work that taxes the mind and the
imagination, the world seems only a poor place with-
out it."
" Like the wurrld widout girruls for me, or widout