in Lofty John’s bush. That evening on her way home from school, Lofty John himself overtook her in his buggy and for the first time since the night of the apple stopped and accosted her. “Will ya take a lift, Miss Emily av New Moon?” he said affably. Emily climbed in, feeling a little bit foolish. But Lofty John looked quite friendly as he clucked to his horse. “So you’ve clean wiled the heart out av Father Cassidy’s body,” he said. “‘The sweetest scrap av a girl I’ve iver seen,’ says he to me. Sure an’ ye might lave the poor prastes alone.” Emily looked at Lofty John out of the corner of her eye. He did not seem angry. “Ye’ve put me in a nice tight fix av it,” he went on. “I’m as proud as any New Moon Murray av ye all and your Aunt Elizabeth said a number av things that got under my skin. I’ve many an old score to settle with her.
