They dragged next morning, but--pish!--'twas all nonsense and moonshine; why, there was water enough to carry him to Ringsend in an hour.

He was a good deal out of sorts, as I said, latterly--a shabby design, Sir, to thrust him out of my Lord Castlemallard's agency; but that's past and gone; and, besides, I have reason to know there was some kind of an excitement--a quarrel it could not be--poor Sally Nutter's too mild and quiet for that; but a--a--_something_--a--an--agitation--or a bad news--or something--just before he went out; and so, poor Nutter, you see, it looks very like as if he had done something rash.' Talking thus, they reached the Mills by the river side, not far from Knockmaroon.
On learning that Toole was about making a call there, Lowe gave his bridle to a little Chapelizod ragamuffin, and, dismounting, accompanied the doctor.

Mrs.Nutter was in her bed.
'Make my service to your mistress,' said Toole, 'and say I'll look in on her in five minutes, if she'll admit me.' And Lowe and the doctor walked on to the garden, and so side by side down to the river's bank.
'Hey!--look at that,' said Toole, with a start, in a hard whisper; and he squeezed Lowe's arm very hard, and looked as if he saw a snake.
It was the impression in the mud of the same peculiar foot-print they had tracked so far in the park.

There was a considerable pause, during which Lowe stooped down to examine the details of the footmark.
'Hang it--you know--poor Mrs.Nutter--eh ?' said Toole, and hesitated.
'We must make a note of that--the thing's important,' said Mr.Lowe, sternly fixing his gray eye upon Toole.
'Certainly, Sir,' said the doctor, bridling; 'I should not like to be the man to hit him--you know; but it _is_ remarkable--and, curse it, Sir, if called on, I'll speak the truth as straight as _you_, Sir--every bit, Sir.' And he added an oath, and looked very red and heated.
The magistrate opened his pocket-book, took forth the pattern sole, carefully superimposed it, called Toole's attention, and said-- '_You see_.' Toole nodded hurriedly; and just then the maid came out to ask him to see her mistress.
'I say, my good woman,' said Lowe; 'just look here.

Whose foot-print is that--do you know it ?' 'Oh, why, to be sure I do.