THE BALLYHILLY STEEPLECHASE 163 



room, and entered just as Denis was uttering the last 

 sentence recorded. 



" And is it old Kitty you're calling the devil's imp, 

 Denis, when you had but your own bad riding to thank 

 for getting spilt into the brook ? " asked Egan. 



" Sure, your honour, I wouldn't spake an ill word 

 iv the ould mare, for she's the best bit iv blood I iver 

 threw leg across. I was just tellin' ould Micky here how, 

 two years ago come Christmas, that snaking scoundhrel, 

 Tim Denny, thripped up the hare wid a dose iv shot just 

 as the hounds were runnin' into her." 



For a minute or so the old cobbler stood gaping in 

 speechless amazement, first at Denis and then at the 

 Squire, and, in his bewilderment, rammed the ash- 

 covered mouthpiece of the empty pipe into his capacious 

 mouth. Having at length recovered somewhat, he 

 cleaned his tongue and palate from a portion of the grit, 

 and splutteringly opened upon his truthful friend as 

 follows : — " An', be jabers, Denis, ye're the jewel iv a 

 fireside jockey, an' I'd back ye agin any man livin' to 

 ride over a steeplechase coorse on the hearthstone." 



" And what's the new game with the paper and 

 ashes ? " inquired Egan, almost exploding with laughter, 

 as Despard and he bent down to examine the cinder 

 diagram. 



But Denis heard not, for he had vanished into the 

 night ; leaving his pupil, McLoughhn, to explain how the 

 newly invented game of hearthstone steeplechasing was 

 played. 



