Cinder Path Tales

PADDY'S PROBATION 99 and with a mighty gulp went on with his story. " 'Twas in a long white robe it was, an' afther me it came; not a-flyin', nor a-glidin' loike, nor runnin' flat at all, but (an' 'tis the truth I'mtellin'), but a-hurdlin' loike, though nothin' was it jumpin', but impty wind alone. Ivery toime it lept, me brith liftme, an' I was that gone, I cud not move me fut, though plain I saw itcomin' on me. Right forninst me was it, an' another sthride an' the spook wud hev had me in his grip, whin me brith came ag'in, I gev a shout, an' lit out, withe spook afther. Fer awhile he hild his own, but I drew ahid, ferhe was a-hurdlin' all the toime to me a-runnin' flat,an' neither spook nor divil can give such odds to a good man loike Patrick O'Malley." This last sentencewas given with a toss of the head and an emphasis that showed Paddy in something like his usual form, and I saw he was gradually getting backhis heart again. He ended with, "I think the spook sthopped at the stritch, for his robe was a- flappin', and a-flappin',an' whin I swung round the turn 'twas there I heard no more, the saints be praised; and nothin' morekin I tell ye, an' all hev I told; an' please, Misther Brown, fer the luve av hivin don't openthe dure."