Cinder Path Tales

206 CINDER-PATH TALES It floated into the middle of the alley,like the ghost of Hamlet's father, silent, huge, portentous. A long arm reached for Harry as he dodged to one side of the alley, and gathered the little fellow in, while Jim slid by on the otherside. Paddy sprang to Harry 's assistance, and got a blow with the flat of the hand that sent him in a heap on the pave­ ment. Jim was about to mix in the fracas, but Tom and I, who knew better than to assail the majesty of the law, caught and held him. For a moment neither of us spoke, watching Harry's futile struggles. He was being held firmly, but gently, like a fractious child, and a voice of a richness that cast Paddy's brogue quite inthe shade said sooth­ ingly, "Arrah there, be aisy. It's hurtin' yesel' ye are. Be aisy, or I'll pull ye in." I was gladto hear the figure speak, for the silerice was quite uncanny. Tom advanced in that conciliatoryway of his when he feels that he has a delicate task before him, and was about tomake his littleappeal, withone hand on the roll of bills in his pocket, when Paddy, whohad sat up at the soundof the voice, and was looking fixedly at Harry's captor, gavea howl of mingled surpriseand joy, and exclaimed, " Begorry, Dinny, ye Connemara divil, let the lad go, or I'll break yer face."