on my pig, any how,' muttered the
perplexed but angry Matthew, as he saw the struggles of his favorite
when the robber attempted to secure a cord to her hind leg, which he
seemed to find a difficult task.

"'The curse of Crom'll upon ye for an unaisy brute, any how, Ned! Ned
Costigan, I say, come, ye little divil, and help me tie the knot, ye
frikened _omadhaun_. There's nothing here to be afraid of, barrin' the
gray horses an' the ould cow. Come, I say.--The Vargin and St. Pather
presarve me! Are ye come back?'

"'Yes, I've come back, and ye'll go back to whoever sint ye, with my
mark on yer shoulthers,' said Matthew, grimly, as, suiting the action to
the word, he drew a stout stick from his sleeping-place, and brought it
down with emphasis upon the head and shoulders of the priest's brother,
who, though ordinarily considered 'as good a man' as there was in the
parish, could scarcely persuade himself that he was not the victim of a
terrible dream. Although he mechanically grappled and strove with his
fearful antagonist, he felt the fierce breath of a demon, as his breast
pressed against that of the dead, and the fierce eyes of a fiend, or an
avenging ghost, glared into his, as they fought and wrestled, now in
the dark shadows, and now in the narrow lane of moonlight, which peered
through the open door. It was no wonder that even the instinct of
self-preservation failed to nerve him to meet such a foe, and that
Matthew found it a surprisingly easy matter to give him a terrible
beating.

"Fifteen minutes later, Peter, wan and covered with cuts and bruises,
entered the priest's house, and swooned on the threshold. It was nearly
daylight before he recovered himself sufficiently to corroborate the
story of the lad, that the ghost of Matthew Collins jealously watched
over his favorite pig.

"'An' why didn't he watch his wife too, Peter?' asked the priest,
archly.

"'Faix! an' I dunno. But the same man set great store by that same
baste--bad scran to her! I wish you had been wid us to discoorse the
shpirit, and sind him back to _his place_.'

"'Faith, and only that it's daylight now, an' near time for matins, I'd
just step over, and show ye the powers that are delegated to the clargy,
avick. I'd like to see if Matthew Collins would dare to face me afther
I've buried him dacently.'

"'An' married his wife again,' said Peter, with a feeble attempt at
pleasantry.

"'I've doubts if I did wisely there, Peter. Sure and i