“Oh, that was nothing; it was a labour of love! What I want to speak of is a much more serious affair.”
“Nothing to touch Norah, I hope?” I said anxiously.
“This individual thing is not, thank God! but everything which that ruffian can do to worry her or any of us will be done. We’ll have to watch him closely.”
“What is this new thing?”
“It is about old Moynahan. I am in serious doubt and anxiety as to what I should do. At present I have only suspicion to go on, and not the faintest shadow of proof, and I really want help and advice.”
“Tell me all about it.”
“I shall! exactly as I remember it; and when I have told you, you may be able to draw some conclusion which can help us.”
“Go on! but remember I am, as yet, in ignorance of what it is all about. You must not take any knowledge on my part for granted.”
“I’ll bear it in mind. Well! you remember what I said in my letter, that I had a suspicion of Murdock, and intended watching him?” I nodded. “Two nights after I had written that, the evening was dark and wet—just the weather I would have chosen myself had I had any mysterious purpose on hand. As soon as it got dark I put on my black waterproof and fishing boots and a sou’wester, and then felt armed for any crouching or lying down that might be required. I waited outside Murdock’s house in the laneway, where I could see from the shadows on the window that both men were in the house. I told you that old Bat Moynahan had taken up his residence entirely with the Gombeen Man——”
“And that he was always drunk!”