106 GARRYOWEN 



he'd fling the whole of the Castle French property 

 into grazing land to spite us. Listen now, 

 and it's the last time I'll say it. If he goes we 

 stay." 



" French," said the master, detaching himself 

 from the group. 



" Hullo? " replied Mr French. 



" Just a word with you." 



He drew him aside. 



" There's a lot of bad blood here. It's not my 

 fault, but you know these chaps, and they have a 

 down on you, every one of them — and they say if 

 you follow to the scrub they'll all stay behind. 

 Now, don't get waxy; you know it's not my fault, 

 but there it is." 



French's eyes blazed. 



" Follow you to the scrub! " said he in a loud, 

 ringing voice. " Thank you for the hint, Dick 

 Hennessey. Follow you with that pack of half- 

 mounted rat-catchers! I was going to ride to the 

 scrub to see if there was ever a fox white-hvered 

 enough to turn its tail on them, and, sure, if he 

 did, he couldn't run for laughing. And talking of 

 tails," said Mr French, turning from the master 

 and addressing the market-place, " if the gentle- 

 man who cut off the tails of old Ryan's cows will 

 only step forward I'll accommodate him with my 

 opinion of him here and now. And it's not the 

 whip-end of my hunting-crop I'll do it with 

 either." 



No gentleman present was at all desirous of 



