hoots me!' Well, my grandfather--rest his
sowl in glory!--was his driver, and used to manage everything on the
property for him; and considerin' what a hard thing it is, he was well
liked by the country round,--all but by one man, Maurice Cafferty by
name. I never seed him, for it was all 'fore I was born; but the name is
in my mind as if I knew him well,--I used to hear it every night of my
life when I was a child!

"There was a dispute about Cafferty's houldin', and my grandfather was
for turnin' him out, for he was a bad tenant; but Mr. Shinane was afeerd
of him, and said, 'Leave him quiet, Mat,' says he; 'he's a troublesome
chap, and we 'll get rid of him in our own good time; but don't drive
him to extremities: I told him to come up to the cottage, this morning:
come with me there, and we 'll talk to him.' Now, the cottage was a
little place about two miles off, in the woods, where the master used to
dine sometimes in summer, when they were chipping bark; but nobody lived
there.

"It was remarked by many that morning, as they went along, that my
grandfather and Mr. Shinane were in high words all the time,--at least,
so the people working in the fields thought, and even the childer that
was picking bark said that they were talking as if they were very angry
with each other.

"This was about eleven o'clock, and at the same time Cafferty, who was
selling a pig in Ennistymore, said to the butcher, 'Be quick, and tell
me what you 'll give, for I must go home and clean myself, as I 'm to
speak to the master today about my lease.' Well, at a little before
twelve Cafferty came through the wood, and asked the people had they
seen Mr. Shinane pass by, for that he towld him to meet him at the
cottage; and the workmen said yes, and more by token that he was
quarrellin' with Mat Cullinane. 'I'm sorry for that,' says Cafferty,
'for I wanted him to be in a good humor, and long life to him! 'The words
was n't well out, but what would they see but my grandfather running
towards them, at the top of his speed, screeching out like mad, 'The
master's murdered! the master's kilt dead!' Away they all went to the
cottage, and there upon the floor was the dead body, with an axe buried
deep in the skull,--so deep that only the thick part of the iron was
outside. That was the dreadful sight! and, sure enough, after looking at
the corpse, every eye was turned on my grandfather, who was leaning on
the dresser, pale and trembling, and his ha