Cinder Path Tales

» ioo CINDER-PATH TALES I had not interrupted the story, for I saw that Paddywas growing calmer all the time. When he finished, however, he stillsat tremb­ ling against the door; would, probably, have fought like a tiger before he was moved, and I was not looking for trouble with aman half out ofhis senses, and weighing a good twenty pounds more than myself. So I began to argue withhim, talking in quiet tones. Paddy relaxed a little as if open to reason, but at the same time well on his guard. " Did you say, Paddy," I began, " that you heard the footsteps on the track, and the flapping of the long, white robe? " " Faith, Idid," said Paddy, " and plain it was." " I suppose the spook was hard to see, appearing and isappearing, and transparent all the time,so you could look through him, like a whiff of smoke from your pipe," I continued. " An' 'tis there you're wrong," he answered gravely, and rather proud of his superior wisdom. "'Twas plainI saw, and plain I heard; from the toime I set eyes on the thing, whin I furst turned me hid, all the toime 'twas a-comin' on me, I saw it just as plain as I see you, barrin' the dark, andno more could I see through it thin through yerself, there where yer stand. Faith," with