314 GARRYOWEN 



It had just gone ten and Mr Piper had scarcely 

 entered the yard than Moriarty, with the lantern 

 in his hand, appeared. 



" Why, I thought you were a-bed," said Moriarty. 

 " Are you frightened the horses will fly away wid 

 thimselves, or what is it that ails you? " 



" My duty is my duty and yours is yours," 

 repUed the baihff. " We'll keep 'em apart, if you 

 please, and so be better friends." 



*' Friends! " said Moriarty, with a horrible leer 

 on his face. " Sure, that's what I'm wishin' to 

 be, only you're so cowld. Come here wid me now," 

 said Moriarty, taking the other's arm and leading 

 him towards the loose-box next The Cat's, " and 

 I'll show you me intintions. Maybe it's the likin' 

 I've taken for you, or maybe it's just the stringth 

 of your arguments, but you've converted me to 

 the sociality bizness and I'm goin' to share and 

 share alike wid you." 



He opened the loose-box door, and there in the 

 darkness stood Andy, like a horrible gnome. 



" W^hy, what are you doin' here, Andy? " asked 

 Moriarty, with an undercurrent of jocularity in 

 his tone that struck Mr Piper as being out of place 

 and allied to the sinister. 



" I? " said Andy. " Nothin'." 



" I've brought a friend wid me," said Moriarty, 

 speaking as though Piper were an absolute stranger 

 to Andy. " He's comin' into the loose-box wid 

 us to help me drink his health." 



" Thank you," said Piper, " I never drink." 



