“But, oh, Reddy, I did hate to hit you!”
“Ho, ho!” cried Reddy; “if it had kilt me intirely, Oi’d ’a’ been th’ last to complain! Is it true, Allan, that I was runnin’ around with tramps?”
“Yes, that’s true, Reddy.”
“An’ hobnobbin’ with Dan Nolan?”
“Yes.”
“An’ abusin’ my missus?”
“You didn’t abuse her, Reddy.”
“An’ fightin’ my best friends, an’ wreckin’ railroad property, an’ actin’ generally loike a low-down haythen?” went on Reddy, rapidly. “Why, th’ only thing I can’t forgive y’ fer, Allan, is thet y’ didn’t knock me over th’ head long afore!”
“I would, Reddy,” laughed Allan, “if I’d thought it would cure you.”
“If it hadn’t cured me,” said Reddy, “it might ’a’ kilt me-an’ thet was what I deserved!”