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"No matther for that," he replied; "I want to play a thrick on Peggy Murray wid it, so as to have a good laugh against her the pair of us you wid the handkerchy, and me wid the tobaccy-box." "Very well," she replied. "Ha! ha! ha! that'll be great. At any rate, I've a crow to pluck wid the same Peggy Murray.
"Now," she exclaimed indignantly, and in an incredulous voice; "in God's name, what has a spirit to do with an old rusty Tobaccy-box? It's surely a curious box; there's my father would give one of his eyes to find it; an' Nelly, that hid it the other day, found it gone when she went to get it for him." "Do you toll me so?" said Hanlon, placing it as he spoke in his safest pocket.
I think you know me, too, to be a hardened and a determined man. There, now, I have shut an' boulted the door an' by Him that made me, you'll never lave this house, nor go out of that door a livin' woman, unless you tell me all you know about that Tobaccy-Box. Now you know my mind an' my coorse act as you like now." "Ha, ha, ha! Do you think to frighten me?" she asked, laughing derisively.
"There was a Tobaccy-Box about this house, or in this house. Do you know anything about it?" "A tobaccy-box is it?" "Ay, a tobaccy-box." "Well, an' what about it? What do you want wid it? An ould, rusty Tobaccy-box; musha, is that what's throublin' you this mornin'?" "Come," said he darkening, "I'll have no humbuggin' answer me at wanst. Do you know anything about it?"
"Murdher alive, mother!" she exclaimed, "what is this? Hallo! a tobaccy-box a fine round tobaccy-box of iron, bedad an what's this on it! let me see; two letthers. Wait till I rub the rust off; or stay, the rust shows them as well. Let me see P. an' what's the other? ay, an' M. P. M. arra, what can that be for? Well, devil may care! let it lie on the shelf there.
"Well, now," replied Hanlon, "I'll be biddin' you good-night; but before you go, promise to get me that tobaccy-box you found; it's the least you may give it to me for Peggy Murray's handkerchy." "Hut," returned Sally, "it's not worth a thraneen; you couldn't use it even if you had it; sure it's both rusty and broken."
"I don't know," observed her companion, sighing and looking at her affectionately, "how any step-mother could be harsh to you." "Ha! ha! ha! don't you, indeed? Faix, then, if you had me, maybe you wouldn't think so I'm nothin' but a born divil when the fit's on me." "Charley Hanlon," proceeded the strange woman, "bid me ax you for the ould tobaccy-box you promised him last night."
You know, Rody," he proceeded, "it was Dalton that murdhered him; mind that but you're a coward at heart; as for myself there's nothing troubles me but that Tobaccy-Box; but you know nothing about that; may the divil confound me, at any rate, for not destroyin' it! an' that ould sthrap, Nelly, suspects something; for she's always ringin Providence into my ears; but if I had that box destroyed, I'd disregard Providence; if there is a Providence."
"She and I made a swop," proceeded Hanlon, "some time ago, that 'ud take a laugh out o' you: I gave her a pocket-hand-kerchy; and she was to give me an ould Tobaccy-Box but she says she can't find it, altho' I have sent for it, an' axed it myself several times. She thinks the step-mother has thrown it away or hid it somewhere." Body looked at him inquiringly.
Hallo, a tobaccy-box! An' what's this on it? Let me see. Two letters a 'P' and an 'M. 'P.M. arrah, what can that be for? Well, divil may care. Let it lie on the shelf there. Here now, none of your cross looks. I say, put these cobwebs to your face, and they'll stop the bleedin'. And now good-night to you, an' let that be a warnin' to you not to raise your hand to me again."
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