The record-union., 1892-06-04

lety on their account, but remonstrance
was useless, and only brought down a
tIraqe OF abuse on their heads from the
two men and the old woman.
Things had been going on so for about
a week, when Mary came in one day after
talk with Thady during the dinner
hour. Her father and brother were away
for the day. doing job of stacking oats
for farmer. She was resolved to have a
talk with her mother, and perhaps tell
her all about Thady, and get her to inter-
cede tor them.
But TO her disappointment she found
that a "nelghbor woman" had dropped
IN for "kaly," and was at this moment
teIhng most interesting anecdote to her
mother, who listened with unwavering
attention.
Mary took her knitting and sat down,
intending to wait until the visit was
Well" the woman was saying, ebay
IN a little business of my own in the
town l TUX the child and the dunkey-
asses car and dhruv in. Well, whin L
got into the market place did / take a
wakeness? Biddy Muldoon KEN up, an
whin she seen me she wouldn't be off it,
but must go down to Mrs. Gibney's to
get sup o. somethin'. Well, she kem
down wild me, and whin I wint in, Cath
efIne,' says Mrs. Gibney, 'ye're wake?'
1 am wake, ma'am,' says |, with re-
spectS TO ye. l think it's the med-e-cine
1 tuk'"-
Mary could stand it no longer. The
anecdote seemed interminable, though to
her mother apparently full of interest. as
she listened with long-drawn shifts, and
eJaculations Of "Well, we'll. - "DId ever ye
hear the like?" Ibid ye, now?" etc. So
Mary took her knitting, and going out to
a field at the back of the house. walked
up and down by a thick hawthorn hedge
which divided it from the next field.
Her thoughts were busy with Thadv
ana speculations as 10 her future, SO that
for some time she did not notice that there
were voices on the other side of the hedge,
nor did she until her brothers name, dis
tlnctly spoken, attracted her attention.
She could not help listening then, and
soon recognized the voice of the speak er
to belong to little boy, the son of a
very disreputable neighbor of the name
or Kelly, in whose house Mary be-
Ieyed unlawful meetings were frequent
~ held.
"Ay, I was in it the whole time," the
boy was saying. "They all thought [
was fast asleep in bed, but l crep' down
before the boys came in, and hid behind
the dhresser, and heered every word; and
Whln they all Wint out for minute to see
the rest O them Oft l med off up to bed,
and let on to be sound asleep when Pat
and Mick KEN up"
'Och, Consheen, did ye nowr' in q
voice OF envy, mingled with admiration.
Well, ye might as well tell me some
thin about it, and Pll niver let on to wan
know anything"
Alter little persuasion ConSheen, who
was evidently bursting to reveal his Sc
cret, having sworn Patsy to inviolable
secrecy, proceeded to tell all he knew,
while Mary listened with eager interest.
''N ell, Patsy, there's two people to be
removed III the MKT month, and l lave
ye TO guess who they are'
Patsy having made some very bad
shots, Con first withered him with scorn,
and then went on to tell him.
why, first and foremost, ay coorse,
the young maSther. He must be removed
at wanst. / heerd thin say so, and they
are TO have big meetin' and dhraw lots
for the job some o. these nights. But the
other, guess noW-ye'll niver guess who
In 1ne other ls-not a gintleman at all, but
Ihady Connor."
Mary's heart gave a wild bound, and
then seemed to stand still; then galloped
on again, while her head seemed as If it
would burst, and a sound like waves
roaring surged in her ears.
But she put a cOnstraint upon herself,
and forced herself to listen. The BOYS
now stood still in the intense interest of
Cons narrative.
'Ay," he was saying when Mary again
heard him, Terry Reilly named him.
lies always goin' agin' them for pooch-
in, an he's goin' to pay his rint mkt
Hollentide, am Terry Reilly says he's as
bad as any oy the landgraDbers, and
ought to be removed, and Pm of that
opinion too"
Mary waited to hear no more. Putting
her shawl over her head she ran few
steps toward the lane leading to the oat-
held Which she had so often visited in
the last week; then remembering that
until work was over, Thady would be
among other men, and she could not get
word alone with him, paused moment
and then turned her steps toward the
big house."
1t was about o'clock when she ar
rived at the Hall, and she was at once
shown up to the drawing Mary
had always been favorite with Miss
Fitzgerald, the young mistress" as she
was generally called, though her mother
had been dead for some years. She was
sitting at work now, but rose and greeted
Mary kindly when she came in.
ell, Mary, how are you? and how is
your mother, and the gran, and all of
you? Won't you sit down? But, Mary,
what is the matter?''
AS Mary put the shawl down from her
head, which had partially concealed her
features, Miss Fitzgerald saw for the first
time the stony, set look of her face. and
the wild, agonized expression in her
eyes. The girl could not speak for a sec
Ond, and on tindIng her voice hurst into
a violent flood OF tears AT first she
could say nothing but "Oh, Miss Alice!
Miss Alice. the villains, the blackguardsr'
But Alice led her to sofa, and soothed
her with kind words, and soon the girl
was able to speak more coherently.
"Oh, Miss Alice, it's the bad news 7
have for you: but shure | didn't know
what else TO Go but to come straight to
your house and tell We all 1 heerd.''
"Quite right, Mary. You know am
always your friend, and have been since
the days when you and Terry and Master
Edward and | used to go fishing in Lough
Ivaghan, and L have never forgotten the
delicious hot oatcake and fresh butter
your mother used TO give us afterward.
So tell me all your troubles, Mary. and
you may be quite sure you will ALWAYS
find both myself and brother willing
and anxious to help you in any way we
CAM
Alice Fitzgerald spoke on. hoping to
give Mary time to control her emotion.
But it seemed as if every word She said
but added to the poor girls trouble.
''Och, Miss Alice dear, shure that's
what it is breaks me heart intirely. To
think of your goodness to us ever and al
ways, and now the way they're turnin'
round on ye.'
"Oh me! Do tell me what it all is,
Mary. am most anxious to hear.n
well, may as well say it out first as
last, and, the story is. Miss Alice. that
Masther Edward is the next on the list to
be removed as they call it. / only
heerd il about a half an hour ago, and
KEN straight to yer house to see what
could We do"
Alice Fitzgerald turned very pale. but
looked more angrily than alarmed.
The villains! Is it, can it be true
Mary? Have you heard it on good au-
thorityi"
''Ay, miss, the besht at all. Iheerd that