Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-24

bsutness commenced, Riordan called her
aside and slipped a packet into her hand.
That's the money" he said; we may go
Today" G Is
..Whin We like" he repeated.
And whin must 1 be back, Mister Rior-
"Ah. well, we'll think av that" He united
a parcel; it contained spun silk shawls, an
Improbable investment for that neighpor-
I'm thinkin', "ihe said. blushing to his
hair, that wan av these'd shute ye fine
Just choose wan Maggie
what'd 1 do wild the like av that?"
Wear 1t. sure. Il They're ovid stock he
| added, diffidently; AN anyway somethin
| much longer"
Are We goin' to lave the shop?'
| "Ay, that's it. We've ended the partner
| Thin mustn't come back?"
Il think it's goodby, Maggie, whfn We
go But Wen see later: >.
He laid the shawl aside. I'll parcel 1t
| up for ye," he said.
Before Maggie could answer her uncle's
voice called to her from the little parlor
behind the counting house Power was
leaning with his elbows on the table, Where
| the breakfast things still remained.
| sit down. Maggie he said. She obeyed
| him. He lifted a cup though to drink.
| then put It down again, and moistened his
| I'm hard driven he said, ian it's you
| can help me-
| How can 1 help?''
! Hard driven" he repeated. "An' me
| gettin an ovid man. L meant no harm,
but the luck was dead agin me. niver
had chanst-a poor mans always KEEP
| down..
| Il thought We were rich, uncle"
| "Richi I'm not worth the price OF me
funeral, and PRISONS starin' me IN the
| face"
| But we've done nothin' wrong. They
| can't put We away for bein' poor.
| But they can for stealin,. child, an,
that's what I was drove to, GOO help me!
| Ay, this mint 1 might be took!
| He shiEered and drew hand across MS
moist face
| You thiefT
| at me- he walled. Maggie. there's only
wan can save me, an that's YOU
I've only, this she said. and put the
packet , Riordan had given her on the table n
an not money. It's me partner, John
Riordan. I've robbed, an you can save me
name. If yed marry him he'd forgive me,
7 can't" said Maggie He asked ,ssa. me
another belong TO- u ,ou
Eye said No? God save us. where's yer
| sinse? Let the other wan CO."
| II cant!'
Eye must, for the sake of the name!
| Wouii ye ,o have yer own mothers brother
Mister Riordan II not be hard" she
said.
Power, his tense nerves giving way to the
press of anger. Didn't 1 take We from the
dirt an feed We like me own child? Did
do it all for nothin'? An who's the other
We fancy? The boy I saw We wild wan night
at Ballyclogher2 Praps he'll be the wan
sint We letther that I'd the sinse to
stop?"
ing I'VE dared to do that? Ach, we cow
ard! An We brought me here to kape ye
out av. Jail? God forgive ye for black
hearted mani"
TN beside meself wild sorrow" he
whined. That's hard word We spoke,
Maggie"
to do the like-an' you mani! Her eyes
swept him with scorn. do ye think she
went on, that Mister Riordan would take
me from me own boy? He's too good for
that. Arrah,i Wen see!'
She disregarded, Powers restraining ges-
ture, and ran into the shop. Riordan had
just finished wrapping up the shawl.
Mister Riordan, come in her a mint
she said. He followed her. When the door
was closed she turned and faced him.
IT | said 70 marry ye," she cried;
would We have me. KNOWN well that
loved another rnan?"
No" he said. for yer an honest girl, an
wish ye no shame.
there wants to save himself. an it was by
that he thought TO do it. Mister Riordan,
will We let i'm go?
Hes done his worst FOR both av us,
Maggie. Let the poor divvle go, an well
come. There, take yer money an go, too,
child. Don't leave it there for the ovid
hawk
She took the packet from the table and
said goodbye. Riordan kissed her for the
first and last time. For Frank Power she
could summon neither word nor gesture of
farewell.
She went straight to the station, and
found that a train left for the south in half
to be opened: She found, in addition to the
money which Power had withheld, a Is
note. At the last moment she remembered
that she had left the shawl behind.
When she reached Carmore twilight was
falling. The sight of the familiar white
town and the long uphill stretch of the
Ballyclogher road brought back to her in
full flood the long-lost sense of freedom.
AS she walked her hurried breath almost
broke into happy sobbing; the only pause
she made was by the wayside elm.
She had been too distressed in the morn
ing to think of sending any notice of her
coming, so that as she neared the cottage
no one was peering out to get the first
sight of her. At the door she paused and
listened. A single child's voice reached
her--it was Barney saying his prayers. A
moment later she was overwhelmed with
welcomes. the center of a chaos of laughter
and tears.
When things had quieted down. and she
was sitting with Conns arm round her
neck and couple Of children on her lap,
she said suddenly:
..Ach, let me feel the f1ure ag'in. Get
down. dears, while l take me shoes an
stockin's aft. 1 nver liked thin, an sure
it d be no holiday at all wild thin things"
Let me take thin aft" shreked Barney
DO. boy" said Conn. While Barney was
at work Conn said: WED great times
here yesterday, Maggie"
What was it?'
"a weddn', sire"
who's married now, thinT
James Phelan."
They're afr cried Barney.
He married Mary Cregan. They'd bin
coortin' this six MONTHS
Maggie" said Barney, "show us the
thrick wild yer toes"
whats wrong, astor?" asked Conn.
"Nothin'," she said, but the f1ure feels
cold I'll soon be used to it again."
CTHE END.