“If you’ve a mind to be a tenant of mine, Colligan, I’ll keep a look out for you. The land’s crowded now, but there’s a lot of them cottier [42] devils I mean to send to the right about. They do the estate no good, and I hate the sight of them. But you know how the property’s placed, and while Anty’s in this wretched state, of course I can do nothing.” “Will you bear it in mind though, Lynch? When a bit of land does fall into your hands, I should be glad to be your tenant. I’m quite in earnest, and should take it as a great favour.” “I’ll not forget it;” and then he remained silent for a minute. What an opportunity this was for him to lose! Colligan so evidently wished to be bribed—so clearly showed what the price was which was to purchase him. But still he could not ask the fatal question. Again he sat silent for a while, till he looked at his watch, and found it was a quarter past eight. “Never fear,” he said, referring to the farm; “you shall have it, and it shall not be the worst land on the estate that I’ll give you, you may be sure; for, upon my soul, I have a great regard for you; I have indeed.” The doctor thanked him for his good opinion. “Oh! I’m not blarneying you; upon my soul I’m not; that’s not the way with me at all; and when you know me better you’ll say so,—and you may be sure you shall have the farm by Michaelmas.” And then, in a voice which he tried to make as unconcerned as possible, he continued: “By the bye, Colligan, when do you think this affair of Anty’s _will_ be over? It’s the devil and all for a man not to know when he’ll be his own master.” “Oh, you mustn’t calculate on your sister’s property at all now,” said the other, in an altered voice. “I tell you it’s very probable she may recover.” This again silenced Barry, and he let the time go by, till the doctor took up his hat, to go down to his patient. “You’ll not be long, I suppose?” said Barry. “Well, it’s getting late,” said Colligan, “and I don’t think I’ll be coming back to-night.” “Oh, but you will; indeed, you must. You promised you would, you know, and I want to hear how she goes on.” “Well, I’ll just come up, but I won’t stay, for I promised Mrs Colligan to be home early.” This was always the doctor’s excuse when he wished to get away. He never allowed his domestic promises to draw him home when there was anything to induce him to stay abroad; but, to tell the truth, he was getting rather sick of his companion. The doctor took his hat, and went to his patient.