, 1896-12-12

nc Il been TO the falr, o sold early,
WIS waiting for a train to take him
home.
Where are ye Roin?" he said over
his shoulder. "What were ye bleartin
about?"
She looked up at him quickly. almost
d%efiantly.
ITO the United States"
He nodded, began again the tattoo on
his boot, and before another word came
the train had starred.
Were Roin." said Mary. Hurry
and say goodby. or they'll shut ye in"
mo matter" he answered. ''I'll
g'wan a bit"
The maid sat apart from the man and
answered his abrupt. %mannerless ques-
tions as bravely as she might. Why was
she going? All, he knew. There was no
need to ask. Why had she not told him?
Better not. What was the use? All was
over between them.
The man eyed her wonderingly.
Over, he repeated. Over? Did she not
know he was ready to make it up-to
do his best? Aye, yes, she knew. still
Still what? 1t was better to 90, she
said, and looked tearfully out at the fly
ing fields.
Yes. it was better to go. I agreed
with Mary. He was a lout, for certain;
a good for nothing by all chance. She
would lose nothing by leaving him.
There--there, sitting beside her, was
the trouble about which she had spo.
ken. She had come home to settle down
with him, but things had been trouble
some. All, yes. II knew it all. He
had been easy going and lazy: wanted
things to turn up; felt no inclination to
hurry into married cares. All, sure, he
could wait awhile, and if he, then
Mary. Something like that it had been;
anyhow Mary had not settled. They
had quarreled, and nov she was leav-
ing him for better or worse. She was
wise. Had the man no bowels? Had be
nothing for her but hard questions and
plying looks: Would he not, before he
went, say n kind word to this girl
who had trusted in his word and man
hood. and, finding them wanting, was
now leaving him forever? Did there not
some golden memory linger about his
heart? Not one. He was wooden TO the
core. He would sit Oh there. tapping
his boot and staring at his big freckled
hands, neither hurt o sorry, but just
wondering that a girl could be such O
fool. The train would stop, and, with q
nod and q f1abby shake of the hand, he
would lake himself out into the rain.
And good radiance.
The train slowed. Mary's lips began
to culver. The train stopped. l gather
ed in my legs, SO that the fellow might
pass without touching me. He raised
his head and looked out at the sky.
"Ah, I may as we'll g'wan to the
junction." he drawled. It'll be all the
same. One could do nothin such a day
anyhow"
"Yis." said Mary. not cheerlessly.
Sure ye may as we'll"
We sat silent all the way to Droghe-
da, and there we parted-Mary, SO it
was set down, to catch a train north,
James one back home aud I to do my
work in town.
Two hours afterward I met the two
in the rain swept streets, and in my
surprise stopped short before them.
Mary looked up and laughed.
"Ah," said she, "I'm hero yit. That
train went without me-"
"Oh." said l, "that's very bad. Why.
the next won't be here for hours. And
you're drenched. But-but"- and I
looked at James as he stood slightly
flushed and dripping wet, blandly star
ing across the street.
"Ah. yis." Mary answered. flames
missed his too. I'm not goin at all.
Sure we've made it up" I put my
watch slowly back into my pocket and
nodded. "James has promised me, " she
went on, and her eyes fell, IAN we're
goin to get married come harvest time,
an he'll try hard for u place VII the
marquis. An-an-God knows, sur, I'm
moi sorry, for me heart was sore at Paw
in home"
They knew their own business best,
but there fell an awkward silence, 80 I
asked James concerning his prospects.
Did he see his way clearly? All, he did.
and began tapping his boots. Sure there
was always a way il one could only
wait till it came. ISM she better here
anyway, whatever comes, - said he and
gave me a moments glimpse at his face,
Ethan ont yonder wild the strangers?
Sure twas madness av her to think Nv
it. Sure Providence sent me to Navin
fair" ~Providencep And had Providence
sent also that dismal procession to the
fish van. that Mary might see it and
sob for her friends and her James and
the home of her hearth
"And you. Mary" I asked, ''are you
quite satisfied?".
"Ah, yis," said she m%ournfully.
"Ah, l hope no."
/ took her into q shop and bought her
q little wedding gift-a silver brooch.
shaped like q harp and vet with green
mxrble-then wished them more happi-
ness than expected they would have
and went my way.
Three hours afterward saw me at
Drogheda station again, and there was
Mary, standing dejectedly by her box.
mot gone home yet, Nary" l asked.
Her handkerchief fiuttered out.
"No-o. SUI Twas lookin for ye. l
II wanted to give ye back this, " and
she held out the brooch. "I'll never
wear 1t. Och. it's all over. lin 60
in ON to catch the ship"
It was we'll. ! determined now that
neither Providence nor emotion should
hinder her going.
"Ah, no., she sobbed. "'Twas only
foolishneas. Ne heart wa sore at l'avin
them all. m the sight Of the comm an
James comm like that Ooh. I c'u'dn't
bear II. But 'tWas, foolish ~ me. It's