''  Objec',  sir,  is  made  up  of  objec's  mos'ly  ill  in  the
puttin'  together.  Me  objec'  is  first  an'  foremost,  bein,  in
the  dark  to  see  a  stime,  an'  to  that  en'  to  look  a  light.'

"  You  are  in  the  dark.  Anyone  wanting  to  keep  you
in  the  dark  ?  "

"  That's  it  in  part,  sir.  If  they  think  that  ol'  Matt  ha
Adair  is  a  blin'  horse,  a  blin'  horse  is  Mattha  in  takin'
corners  at  their  biddin.'  "

Mr.  D'Oyly  knew  that  Mr.  Adair  was  an  important  man
in  the  Fourteen  Towns,  that  his  neighbours  consulted
him  and  went  by  his  judgment  in  making  their  wills,  and
generally  in  all  their  business  affairs.  He  knew,  too,  that
on  the  whole  the  confidence  was  not  undeserved.  Mr.
Adair,  naturally,  was  a  man  of  clear  judgment,  and  showed
it  by  requiring  clear  data  to  go  on  in  forming  his  judg-
ments. He  was  fully  sensible  of  his  own  consequence,
and  the  clerk  concluded  that  he  was  in  some  way
being  made  to  act  in  the  dark  contrary  to  his  natural
disposition.
"  Ye  see,  sir,"  Adair  went  on  "  a  long  time  back,  the
agen'  that  then  was,  gave  me  strict  orders  to  report  to
him  everything  that  happened  in  Foughilotra,  wi'  respec'
to  the  Oins  family,  the  name  of  which  isn't  the  best  in
the  country,  an'  never  was.  An'  the  agen'  laughed  an'
said,  if  I  wanted  to  know  why,  he  didn't  know  why
hisself."

"Know  agent's  name,  Mr.  Adair,  and  date  of  instruc-
tions ?"

Mr.  D'Oyley  had  laid  down  his  pen  as  soon  as  particu-
lars had  been  entered  on.
82  FOUGHILOTEA:  A  FORBYE  STORY.
