The Washington herald., 1907-12-08
CHAPTER XXXIV.
The Fortunes of BiIIy Bryan.

The Fortunes OF Billy Bryan.
II was Billy Bryan who first enlight-
nede Dick Finnan upon the mystery Of
what Phil and Vida did with their ad-
jacent hands when he rowed them about
in the autumn evenings under the bird
cliffs of Rough Isle.
Billy was on long leave and the first
twilight he took stroke" while Dick
obedlently went back to bow"
1t was a childish night in May. and on
the Western coast Of the Carrick. when
the wind blows up from the Atlantic, it
can be cold as January-even though
Kintyre and the islands keep the sea
down 10 a gentle "lapper' of wavelets
against the boats timbers
In spite Of the most careful ADJUST
ment of the flannel-lined waterproof
rug, before the return Of the party. Billy
had got his facts down to a fine point -
You see, Dicky. he said. Just here
lies the differ between a man OF
profitable experience and a man of none
The man Of experience Che said 'expay-
rienceD-thats me. The man Of none
that's YOU II il had been out on the
Skerry now, YOU would have seen the
first puff of the Atlantic fog pouring
through Paddys Slap (the North Chan
neD, or the topsails of a brigantine sag
ging westward for the Solway ports.
and likely to pass too near the Wolf
But with two young people, one boy and
the tother girl, in the stern Of "A boat
that's my job. Dicky, being as l have
said a man of experience from my vouth
up-though havin never, as it were pro
ceeded 20 extremities before priest or
parson."
What do you mean by not proceedin
10 eXtremities. Bnly?" demanded Dick
Finnan. not at all well pleased at BiIly's
description Of him. but attempting to put
an innsbruck match 10 his pipe TO hide II.
why, always lightin' out for foreign
parts the day before We felt that We must
ak the girl to marry We, Dickey! That's
what ! mean" explained the man OF ex-
perience from his youth up.
Il saw nothing wrong in the boatr'
said Dick, falling TO light up for the
third time, and stamping the remnants
OF the match into the seaweed as if il
had been the fault of Messrs. Bryant
and May.
Wrong? NO-who talked o. wrong. you
old fool. Dicky2" cried Billy; "onlv these
two young uns are fixin' il up to get
married.
Married" gasped Dick, "christened.
ye mean. We red-headed Fenian"
Married, ] said, Dicky. Ard they don't
know il yet that's the beauty Of it,
chuckled the man OF experience. III
minds me of little Molly Molloy that I
used 70 hold the hand Of in 60 She tied
up wild a ships carpenter owing to my
being lost in the passage to Afilford-feT
overheard In the night twas reported by
the second mate-a great friend Of mine
There was fine MORNINGS. they say
headaches all through Tipperary."
Still Billy Bryan had not proved his
case At Glebe End Cottage Dick Finnau
had known too many come and go. His
little girl knew better" After Vic Nor
ris indeed. who could hope to succeed?
But Billy only shrugged his shoulders
and poured forth the fun bouquet OF
ms wisdom like wine cask from which
the spigot has been removed.
With girls We never. can rightly tell. "
ne said " It's not as wild us. OF a dozen
girls in a row a man will take the pref.
test or the one that gives his narves a
tug. like usin' the curb for the first time
10 FESTIVE beast. Or maybes he will only
take the one he can get. If the rest won't
have him. Or, as like as not the one
that hatters him the most. But, at al
events he will know the one he wants
and will have her if he can.
Now with a woman It is Just contra
riwise. II isn't the handsomest they want
praise be. Or little Molly Molloy would
never have fancied me Though she mar
ried the ships carpenter. after alb. II
isn't the cleverest. Tisn't even the one
-np g-F
No, it's the one that nobody wants he,
10 have-the obvious misft-the rolling
stone, the lad that nobody thinks good
for anything. He's only got me- she
says She tells herself blessings on her
true little Christian sowD that she viii
make man of him yeti And that's what
our Vida is a-fiXin up wild herself that
she will do with this doctors young
spalpeen"'
But Philip Calmont is no good-for.
nothing said Honest Dick. who also
could stick up for his friends he Is
worth his wage anywhere, and can dc
q good days work with any man. 1 have
seen him."
Granted said Billy; but ne has nc
right trade to his fingers. and is past the
age to learn one. They only keep him OF
at the pits till they get q man in Vic
Morris place. He is only gummed or
there. and the gum is cheap stuff. too
Dick sighed. He liked Phil. for which
liking he had his reasons.
L am rale vexed We dinna TAX 10 the
lad, Billy" he said. "Phils a good boy
eonsiderin' his upbringin-for his kindred
are lighter than the thistle-down But he
has aye been grave beyond his years Are
We 70 forbid the laddie the h0ose?"
Billy held up his hands in astonishmeut
at the simplicity Of his co-parent.
IT'S little We are yet in the road OF
learnin about women, said Billy. Sc
verely; forbid him the house, Is it that
ye want our bit lass to fly VI through
the roof like rocket up chinbly? Is
that how We would have her 70 oe leavin
us?
'No2 Well. then. sit down. Dicky. and
set your brains a-steep. The question is
just how we are TO keep the bit lass near
10 us-so that she may look in of 2
mornin', OF set things to rights while we
take turns at the telescope in the after.
noon To tell you the truth, Dicky, / have
been thinkin' il over for some time.