em, it's out
again."

Pushing forward as well as he might in the direction he had seen the
light, he floundered heavily on, the wheels sinking nearly to the axles,
and the horse stumbling at every step.

"Your horse is worth nothing, my good fellow; he has n't strength to
keep his legs," said Dunn, angrily.

"Good or bad, I 'll give you lave to broil me on a gridiron if ever ye
catch me coming the same road again. Ould Duun won't have much company
if he waits for me to bring them."

"I 'll take good care not to tempt you!" said Dunn, angrily.

And now they plodded on in moody silence till they issued forth upon a
little flat space, bounded on three sides by the sea, in the midst of
which a small two-storied house stood, defended from the sea by a rough
stone breakwater that rose above the lower windows.

"There it is now, bad luck to it!" said the carman, savagely, for his
horse was so completely exhausted that he was obliged to walk at his
head and lift him at every step.

"You may remain here till I want you," said Dunn, getting down and
plodding his way through the heavy sand. Flakes of frothy seadrift swept
past him as he went, and the wild wind carried the spray far inland
in heavy showers, beating against the walls and windows of the lonely
house, and making the slates rattle. A low wall of large stones across
the door showed that all entrance by that means was denied; and Dunn
turned towards the back of the house, where, sheltered by the low wall,
a small door was detectable. He knocked several times at this before
any answer was returned; when, at last, a harsh voice from within called
out,--

"Don't ye hear who it is? confound ye! Open the door at once!" and Dunn
was admitted into a large kitchen, where in a great straw chair beside
the fire was seated the remains of a once powerful man, and who,
although nearly ninety years of age, still preserved a keen eye, a
searching look, and a quick impatience of manner rarely observable at
his age.

"Well, father, how are you?" said Dunn, taking him affectionately by
both hands, and looking kindly in his face.

"Hearty,--stout and hearty," said the old man. "When did you arrive?"

"A couple of hours ago. I did not wait for anything but a biscuit and a
glass of wine, when I set out here to see you. And you are well?"

"Just as you see: an odd pain or so across the back, and a swimming of
the head,--a kind of giddiness now and then, that's all. Put the ligh