FOREST, LAKE, AND RIVER 



for Stan' trial h'all de sam'. De h'officer wat I 

 strike h'ax de court for be h'easy, dat I good sol- 

 dier-man. De court say dey tak' dat word h'an' 

 would give me h'only ten year h'in de jail h'in 

 H'Englan'. My wife she feel de shame, but she 

 say, " You 'av' a good 'eart, Pat, h'an' I go for 

 mak' a farm h'all the same, h'an' I wait for you." 

 I get one lettre to say she go h'on Quebec, den I 

 not 'ear h'any more. Mebbe she die, but h'anyway 

 when I get h'out h'on dat jail one year before my 

 tam, I hire me h'out h'on de ship for come to 

 Quebec for see. Two month I h'ax h'alway for 

 Mrs. O'Scanlen, but nobody not know her, h'an' 

 den, I tak' de seekness which bring me h'on de 

 'ospital.' 



^^ Baguette ! ni sieu\ when I 'ear dat H'lrish- 

 man say Mrs. O'Scanlen, I jump h'up h'on de bed 

 queeck. 



** * You 'av' de pain,' says 'e. 



'* * Begosh ! ' I say, ' I 'av' 'im bad.' 



" Den I h'ax 'im eef de wife wat 'e want ees 

 short woman, h'an verra beeg' roun' ? 



" O'Scanlen, 'e laf,*but 'e say : * No, my woman 

 tall lak man h'an' thin.' 



" I know dat woman fine, but I not say word to 

 O'Scanlen but sen' for you, m sieu' T 



" What," said I, " the Maid of the Mountain .?'* 



308 



