Munday
I went away by myself at dinner time. I could not play. I could not stand the boys any longer. If I had stayed, I'd have cracked them.
So I went over to the church sneeked over when they were not looking-to make a visit.
I cried a bit.
Father Dale had been on a sick call and came back through the church. I was ashamed of my tears and put my head down on the back of the seat before me. I hoped he would not notis me. I wasn't trying to deceeve him into thinking I was absorebid in prayer. I just wanted to hide my tears. As he passed he put his hand on my head, but I did not look up. He stood beside me, and bent down and put his hand under my chin, and razed my face. It must have looked awful with tears and tribbulashins, for Father Dale's face got quite sad. He generilly has a smile in his eyes, even when he lecktures. But to-day, I think he must have been nearly in tears himself.
"Well, what's got you now, Mick Daly?" he whispered. "Come out here and tell me."
(Perhaps he thought the lie was heavy on my soul.)
So we walked up and down outside the church-not on the school side; on the other, where the kids couldn't see us. We had a good talk. It's privit. So I won't put it all in here. But he beleeved me all the time, he said. He said he baptised me when I was three days old, and that he knew me inside and out, and that he knew I would never tell him a lie.
I went back to the school grounds comfortid.
Dacey tried to be funny and said: "Try to kill any more old men lately, Daly?" But I just ignawed him.
Father Dale came over in the afternoon and spoke to the children. He said that he had not found out who the cruel boy was who had put the stones in Mr Ryan's chair. He said that the boy was no doubt more thoughtless than cruel. He told the children that he wished them to understand that Michael Daly was in no way help responsible. He, Father Dale, could rely on Michael Daly's word. He was sorry that people had spread a report that Michael Daly was the offender. He, Father Dale, had been up to the cottage to assure Mr Ryan that Michael Dale had had no hand act or part in the crime, and Mr Ryan was satisfied on the matter.
I blushed.
I think the souls of my feel went red.
The children craned their necks to see me. " Come out here, Michael, and let them have a good look at you," Father Dale called. So I went out and stood beside him, covered in confuzyin. It was an ordeel.
Father Dale told the boys they were to be sports and not pursakute one of their companyins. "Michael Daly has been judged and ackquitted. It is an offence to accuse him now. Anyone who does, Michael, you can have up for defamashin of charackter."
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