“Come,” said the stranger, “I know the way.”
As though in a trance I followed him, my hand guiding the wheel, while
Dan pushed behind. We immediately came on a narrow board walk at right
angles to the road. The man led on into the thick darkness, the two of
us following blindly after. On and on we travelled as though impelled by
some force outside our own volition. A huge building loomed on our
right. Silently we skirted it, the clop, clop of our feet on the boards
giving way to noiseless progress over grassy turf.
Suddenly the front wheel of the tandem struck some obstacle, and in the
deepened gloom I could faintly discern the outlines of another building,
the steps of which were before me. These I mounted, preceded by our
strange guide, who said not a word, but rapped loudly on the door.
From some remote region came a scuffling, then the bang of an inner
door, and down a long hall shuffled a tall, lean figure wrapped in a
trailing dressing gown. An oil lamp in its hand gave forth a yellow
gleam, which lighted up the old-fashioned interior and shone through the
glass panelled door. The old man, for such it was, peered through the
glass at our mysterious attendant, and then, after prolonged fumbling
with lock and bolts and chain, slowly swung open the door.
“And who might yez be?” he inquired in a rich brogue, directing a keen
Irish eye on Dan and me.
We explained our situation as briefly as possible and asked for the
shelter of some outbuilding for the night.
“Faith, and ye’re wilcome to the house. Sure and it’s large enough for
tin and but three av us to fill it.”
As he spoke there came a tapping and a little old woman with snapping
black eyes skipped like a bird to his side.
“An’ indade they shall not come inside this house the night. Murdthered
in me bed I will not be.”
“Hush, Katie,” querulously chided the ancient. “This is no time for to
be exercisin’ yer conthrary timper.”
But the little old woman braced herself in the doorway as though to defy
the world, and I hastened to state that we only wanted to sleep in the
barn.
“Well, if so ye will. Arrah, the house is open save for this old
spalpeen.” With that he shuffled off to fetch a lantern.