f
his church, and in silence the pair proceeded to the cottage of the
bride, where they fastened the doors and windows securely, and retired.
The rising moon lighted up the surrounding scenery, and the priest and
his brother sat later than usual over their 'night-caps' of hot Irish
whiskey.

"'Peter,' said Father Mulcahy, 'sind young Costigan down for the pig.
Perhaps to-morrow Katty will rue her bargain, and we won't get the
crathur.'

"Costigan (a tight little lad of fourteen), roused from the settle-bed
by the kitchen fire, soon procured a short cord and a whip, and set off
on his rather untimely errand.

"A few moments before, a man dressed in holyday garb tried the doors
and windows of the cottage, and, finding them securely fastened,
murmured,--

"''Tis frighted she is, an' I away, an' tired, too, wid spinnin', I'll
be bound. Well, I'll not rise her now. There's clane sthraw in the barn,
an' I'll slape there till mornin'.'

"The tired traveller had hardly laid himself down, with his head on a
sheaf of oats, when he saw a youth enter the barn, and, deliberately
taking a cord from his pocket, proceed to affix it to one of the hind
legs of his much-prized pig, which resented the insult with a tremendous
squealing.

"Matthew rose quietly, and lowered himself to the floor, catching a
bridle rein, and getting between the trespasser and the wall.

"'I don't know what thievish crew claims ye, but I'll lay they'll see
the marks of my hand-write under your shirt to-morrow,' said Matthew,
savagely; but to his surprise the lad gave a single shriek, and sank
down as if in a fit. A dash of water from the stable bucket recovered
him somewhat, although his mind seemed to wander.

"'Holy angels be about us!--an' him dead and berrid--his very self--come
back again!' And broken sentences of similar import were hurriedly
murmured with closed eyes, as if to shut out some hideous sight; and the
angry farmer was disarmed completely by the evident terror of the boy,
who at last rose, fearfully opened his eyes, and looked around.

"'Yes, ye little thafe of the world, I've come in time--'

"With a meaningless yell, or rather shriek of terror, the boy rushed out
of the door, fell on the frosty roadway, tearing his clothes and cutting
through the skin of both knees; and heeding nothing but the terror
behind, sprang again to his feet, and rushed down the lane and along the
moonlit road, until, panting, bleeding, and breathless, h