“I can see nothing,” he said—“stay—there are figures moving off among the trees, and a man running round to the back of the house—very like Gahan he is too!”
Seizing the bell-rope he rang it loudly, and said to the servant who answered his summons:—
“Fasten the shutters and put up the bars, Connell; and then tell Gahan I want to see him.”
The man obeyed; candles were brought, and Gahan entered the room.
Mr. Hewson remarked that, though his cheeks were flushed, his lips were very white, and his bold dark eyes were cast on the ground.
“What took you round the house just now, Tim?” asked his master, in a careless manner.
“What took me round the house is it? Why, then, nothing in life, Sir, but that just as I went outside the kitchen door to take a smoke, I saw the pigs that Shaneen forgot to put up in their stye, making right for the mistress’ flower-garden; so I just put my dudheen, lighting as it was, into my pocket, and ran after them. I caught them on the grand walk under the end window, and indeed, Ma’am, I had my own share of work turning them back to their proper spear.”
Gahan spoke with unusual volubility, but without raising his eyes from the ground.
“Who were the people,” asked his master, “whom I saw moving through the western grove?”
“People! your Honor—not a sign of any people moving there, I’ll be bound, barring the pigs.”