III


_THE McILHENYS, ROBERTS, AND CAMPBELL_

McIlheny: "And are ye the mahn that's after takun' my wife for yer
cuke?"

Mrs. McIlheny, indicating Campbell, absorbed in his magazine: "And
there's the other wan I saw jokun' wid um, and puttun' um up to it."

McIlheny, after a swift glance at Campbell's proportions and
self-possession: "That's what ye're after thinkun', Mary; but I
haven't got annything to do with what ye're after thinkun'. All I
wannt to know is what this mahn meant by preshumin' to speak to a lady
he didn't know, and takun' her for a cuke." To Roberts: "Will ye tell
me that, ye--"

Roberts, in extreme embarrassment: "Yes, yes, certainly; I shall be
very glad to explain, if you'll just step here to the corner. We're
attracting attention where we are--"

McIlheny: "Attintion! Do ye suppose I care for attintion, when it's me
wife that's been insulted?" He follows Roberts up, with Mrs. McIlheny,
as he retires to the corner where she had been sitting, out of the way
of the people coming and going. Campbell, after a moment, closes his
magazine, and joins them.