130 DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 



"That's just what I told Pat Jennings when I 

 was in Connemara. What do you think he said? 

 ' Sure thin, yer honour, there's no divil,' and then, 

 haltingly : * Begorra, it's meself that's not for denying 

 that something walks about on dark nights, but it's 

 the divil himself that could give the same a name." 



By this time the keeper was with us and seemed 

 pleased at our success. He accepted our offerings, 

 wished us further luck, and would have departed 

 had not a rogue told him what the pocket had held 

 on the day his dog nosed it so persistently. He 

 seemed relieved ; at anyrate he drew a long breath 

 before saying : " 'Twas a grayling was it? Well, 

 well, that bitch could tell me most things she could, 

 and now she's dead, sir, shot by a London gent 

 who never fired his gun off till lunch-time. Tom 

 and me were saying ' Something'll fall when that 

 gun does go off.' Shot dead she was, close at my 

 feet, and Ward you know Ward, sir he says : 



' And a d d lucky job as it weren't yerself, Jim.' 



I could have knocked the gent down when he fired 

 that gun but it weren't needed ; I never saw a man 

 go so white, and I think he would have dropped 

 had not the governor been quick in getting a gent's 

 flask and giving him the end of it full. If you had 

 heard the governor talk to him you wouldn't forget 

 it; you would have thought that the shooting of 

 that dog was the greatest favour he could possibly 

 have done him and it brought the man round to 

 a tear or two. I seed them as he handed me a 

 piece of gold and I thought as a gentleman as could 

 feel for a dumb animal like that wasn't all bad." 



I expressed my regret at his loss and my son, 

 while impatiently handling his rod, said: "What 



