The record-union., 1899-10-01

ment kept her eyes fixed on the fire.
place.
I'D always great fancy for wicked
eyes," Johnnie said.
''Ye needn't have walked six miles in
the rain to see thin, anyway" said
Statia.
"Bedad, I'd ave walked twinty!'' -f
''Ye say that!'
An I name it, God help mel"
An, well" Statia said, I'VE must
nave dale av time an yer hands,"
Not at ALL I'm that busy no days
long enough
Il can't answer We, annyhow, Mister
Ryan, so I'll thry no more
Sure, didn't asst We a question yet"'
Statia was silent If there was one
thing that made stronger appeal to
Johnnie than Statia's voice it was her
silence; but it was an appeal that also
imposed silence upon him. His hand
strayed vacantly up and down the Sc
duct1ve surface of the waistcoat; he
cleared his voice, hummed a bar or
two of the song which Statia had been
singing upstairs. and then relapsed.
wouldn't We finish the song, Mister
Ryan, Statia asked.
It's you should finish I was just
runnin' over what I heered We sing
upshtairs''
Was that ito"
ut was. Sing, Statia.''
''Ah, nor
Just to give the thing good end"
I've no voice at all."'
"Ye've a birds voice."
Faith, it's a crows, thinl"
No, but a blackbird's. Sing, Statia'' -
Thus pressed. Statia did more than
she was asked, and sang the whole
thing through from the beginning.
Johnnie kept his head going to the
music in an ecstasy. and when she
ceased was wrought up to the point OF
declaration
That's grand" he said-"grandi L
niver heerd the like av it. Statia, did
ye ever think av marryin'?''
God save us, Mister Ryan,"
I've had it an me mind for wakes"
ITO think av that now!"
"Ay, an for months, an it's you I've
been thinkin' av''
Statia said nothing, but a glance at
her face encouraged Johnnie to go on.
I'm no great shakes av a man, Sta
tia, that's fact. Ye know all about
me, or If We don't, bedad, I'll tell ye,
if ye spake the word There's betther
mend be glad av Statia Dalton, an
maybe she's a fancy for wan of them,
but anyway there's not a boy av the
lot that loves her more
This was long speech for Johnnie,
but he got through with it: he even
dared to move his chair close to Sta
tia's, and to lay hand on her arm.
Johnnie Ryan" she said, we're a
good man, an l behave there's no bet
ther. The other boys-ach, who wants
thin? It's not me they're afther, but
fathers sup av money"
Its ysu I want said Johnnie.
II do she said, closing her hand
over his
1t was strange how suddenly John
MES shyness vanished, and how he un-
derstood the proper thing to do in these
encouraging circumstances. 1t was
some minutes before either spoke again.
"What'H Mike Dalton say?" John
ME asked
'I'll manage him." said Statia, whose
head had lain for a moment on the
fiowered waistcoat.
"Ah, well, astor, ye're wan av Gods
wondersl''
Eye may just say what We like now
Johnnie" a.
Sure I will, Statia''
In spite of brave words, however. the
mention of Mike Dalton's name sug-
gested serious reflections to both.
Eustatia knew him for stubborn
man, as imDervious to argument as
steel to pin prick. Ryan, on the
other hand, was perturbed by the mat
ter of which the girl, apparently, knew
nothing. 1t was growing late. and
Johnnie should already have been
his return journey, but he lin
gered on to keep Statia company.
Where's father at all?,.' said Statia.
Don't throuble yer head, child-heI
be here soon enough
Our Lady save US, tbs wild night!,
I've knowed worse" said Johnnie.
kiss me, mo chroidhe." >"
She obeyed him, and gazed close into
his eyes.
Zach, Johnnie!'
"Statia, astor!"
A sudden cry brought them both to
their feet. The cry was followed by
a rush of wheels, a crash, and then ST.
lence, save for the shrilling of the wind.
Johnnie was at the door in a moment.
hat down on his head as he
ran.
"Shtay there!" he called to Statia.
'1ndade I'll not, thin." she said, and
followed him out into the night.
1t did not take long to discover what
had occurred, for not ten yards from
the door they came upon the wreck OF
a trap, one splintered shaft still cling
ing to it, the other gone. 1t was evi-
dent that fear or careless driving had
sent the horse from the road into the
ditch, where he lay stunned and mo-
probably, as Ryan conjectured.
with a broken back. The trap was
empty.
Run in for a lanthern, Statia," said
Johnnie. 'I'll not be far away
This time she did as she was bid,
running with the swiftness of fear.
while Johnnie moved cautiously up the
streaming road. He had the eyes of a
cat, and could see very we'll without
the aid of a lantern, but he had been
afraid that the next discovery might
be one best made alone. He prayed de-
voutly, as he peered to left and right.
that Dalton might be drunk; Johnnie
knew how drunkenness saved men s
necks in an accident. Presently he
heard a voice that reassured him.
Mother av God, 'tis blind dark.
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