“Yes! Andy. I think she would.” I waited in expectation, but he said nothing. So I jogged his memory:—
“Well!” He looked at me in a most peculiar manner, and said slowly and impressively:—
“Thin I can sahtisfy yer ’an’r. There’s no such girrul in all Knocknacar!” I smiled a smile of triumph:—
“You’re wrong for once, Andy. I saw such a girl only yesterday, here on the top of this mountain, just where we’re sitting now.”
Andy jumped up as if he had been sitting on an ant-hill, and had suddenly been made aware of it. He looked all round in a frightened way, but I could see that he was only acting, and said:—
“Glory be to God! but maybe it’s the fairies, it was, or the pixies! Shure they do say that there’s lots an’ lots an’ lashins iv them on this hill. Don’t ye have nothin’ to say to thim, surr! There’s only sorra follys thim. Take an ould man’s advice, an’ don’t come up here any more. The shpot is dangerous to ye. If ye want to see a fine girrul go to Shleenanaher, an’ have a good luk at Miss Norah in the daylight.”
“Oh, bother Miss Norah!” said I. “Get along with you—do! I think you’ve got Miss Norah on the brain; or perhaps you’re in love with her yourself.” Andy murmured sotto voce, but manifestly for me to hear:—
“Begor, I am, like the rist iv the bhoys—av course!”
Here I looked at my watch, and found it was three o’clock, so thought it was time to get rid of him.
“Here,” said I “run down to the men at the cutting and tell them that I’m coming down presently to measure up their work, as Mr. Sutherland will want to know how they’ve got on.”