TWO 'POSSUMS 173 



tails, took his way to the house. Once there he 

 threw the two "dead" animals on the steps, and 

 leaving them he turned and walked toward the 

 gate, for he heard sounds of the farmer returning. 

 Round a bend in the lane came a two-seated buck- 

 board, mud-bespattered and rickety, and in it sat 

 the farmer and his boys. Dennis O'Connor, all 

 excitement and pride, rushed up to them and told 

 the family all about " the two queer bastes Oi hev 

 kilt," adding quickly that he had killed " thim both 

 wid the one shot from the fowlin' pace." On being 

 asked what he had done with his game, he pointed 



exultingly to the clean, bare steps, but 



It was many months before Dennis could be 

 persuaded to give up his belief that someone had 

 stolen his 'possums. He never saw them again, 

 and the story of " playing 'possum " is, and always 

 will be, a sore point with Dennis O'Connor, 



