The Washington herald., 1907-11-15
CHAPTER XVII.
A Loint stoeL nanghter.

When Vic Morris arrived at the Gate
Cottage the next night. ne came upon
an earlier visitor making himself very
much at home. He was a tallish. thin
man. with reddish hair plentifuly salted
with gray, and wearing thin on the top
At sight Of Vic he took a pair Of smoked
glasses, as If by instinct, out Of his
pocket Then. instantly changing his
mind. he peered At the intruder with
deep-set, black, humorously twinkling
eyes.
As Vic's huge shoulders and clean-cut
granite features filled up the doorway
the man in possession turned his eyes
upon him. with a request 20 be informed
Who in kingdom-cOme he might be?7
Vic returned the compliment in kind,
and his query was answered by the
ruddy-gray man. without shadow Of
a smile on his face. He would tell his
name-certainly. lie would even give
particulars
Maybe ye have heard O. Mahony. the
celebrated robber and murderer? He
fairly wallows in gore and land agents.
does Mahony-Tm him. Well. I've just
washing up, as II we're And I would
be obliged 10 you, sorr. for the informa-
ton why you come showing your ugly
nose into amy mans business. Dye
want 10 see my license to commit homi-
eide at any moment? What ye doubt
me worrud, Well, then, come in with
We and sit down-Tll see what IS the best
/ can do for you in the cold-tea and
bread-and-butter line. For ye look as If
ye needed 1t. young mani"
Il called TO see my friends said the
engineer with dignity.
"Aud what might your friends be
calHn' themselves when the police wasn't
afther thim?''
Mr., Richard Finnan and"
Good" cried the piebald Irshman
"owld Dick wud nivver know himself by
that name Too yard-wide for him, my
son. And your other friends-ali now
dead and gone. and their first term paid
to the Cimit'ry Company, Excuse me
while I dhrop a tear"
He searched. but I'm vain for a handker-
chief, and finally went into a corner and
dropped the tear noisily on the floor
When ne returned. he said in a conf
dental whisper. IF We have anything
rale comfortin' about ye, sir, I'll take a
drop afore hear the name Of amy
more of your friends
But the engineer had had quite enough
OF this form Of humOr. which might be
called the piebald Irishman's specially
This is the house Of my friend. Mr.
Finnan. and his daughter. Miss Vida
Bryan" said Vic. squaring his shoulders
with the evident intention Of combat,
and / shall be glad TO know what your
business is here"
The Irishman also squared lis shOul-
ders with an outrageous caricature of the
underground managers grand manner.
MY name is Billy Bryan he said.
Ireland Is my nation, as maybe yell
have had the penetration TO take note of
already-more by token that | never ac-
quired the poor. mean, snip-scissors Eng
Iish brogue And I do not ask you what
you are doing in this house. I knowi
Sorr, phat are your honorable intintions
with regard TO me da-a-a-ughter?'
And. with his arms folded and a por-
tentously beetling frown on his jovial
countenance, the lighthouseman paused
for an answer"
It was evident that Mr.. Vic Morris was
taken very much aback. He had heard,
vaguely, that Vida had been a castaway
from some ship, and had a romantic
story attached 10 her. But he was not the
sort of young man to lay much stress
upon romantic stories 1t was all the
same TO him whether Vida was called
Finnan or Bryan or Smith. or Brown or
Jones or Robinson. All that he asked was
that she would consent 10 take as a per-
manency the name Of Vida Morris. He
expected no dowry. His two strong
hands, the professional knowledge which
lay packed away in his energetic and
weIl-squared head. were dowry enough
for two. He had roughshod will. and an
overriding belief IN the skill Of his own