Evening star., 1908-01-19
RACE MCGOWAN COOKE


1t was so he saved his conscience
then. He took the passonately coveted bauble,
was suspected and discharged; but the ring could
not be found on him. and the firm refused to prose-
cute, because they considered prosecution when
there not certainty Of conviction recovery
Of the stolen property. a bad precedent among
their other employees. And now his Katy had been
paying for that rngi
How did you get the money!" he whispered.
and sobs broke his voice SO that she could have
known it neither for Father MacNeils nor Reddys.
Sure your reverence knows. she replied
deringly, that I've been doing your washing, and
the washing of two other people And now the black
ey can make for our two selves Reddy is good
boy Father MacNeil, and you'll never be hard on
him; because they only said he took the ring-they
But you've got the ring on your finger" whis-
pered the tortured Reddy.
"Oh. think he paid for it-someway. Anyhow.
'tis have paid for it now and Reddy and can be
happy again. And he need never know. He need
never"
She broke off uncertainty, startled by an odd
quality in the silence behind the wicket
Ten minutes ago, Reddy Mahoney had been burst
ing with Jealous fury He had skunk in here to put
himself, priest, between his wife's soul and her
had caught and held him. Though it scared his eye
balls he must look fully upon the picture of himself
which her innocent words held up before him.
Crouching against the partition WALL his table cloth
hudded about him. his bullet head dropped between
his clenched fists he strangled back the sobs that
tore their way up from his heart
agony
and kindness; he must throttle this overwhelming
impulse to run to Katy, beg her forgiveness,
himself as Jealous wretch, smother her with pas
sonate caresses, and promise all manner of amend
ment for the future. This would be to render her
loyal sacrifice of avail; to apprise her that the
husband she had strven to spare was wrthing under
more than the shame she had labored to shield him
from. No. he must drink this cup the lonely place
of his own soul.
His ewes roved like those of creature at bay seek
ing some exit from this torture chamber, when
abruptly black curtain descended before them. 1t
was the skirt of Father MacNeils cassock and Fa-
ther MacNeils quiet voice said to the wondering
girl outside:
denly i'll, my daughter And he swept the little
man. shaking and mutely convulsed. behind his
tall figure.
Father MacNeils reproofs always bit to the bone
and now he was white hot with righteous wrath But
despite the enormity of his present offense, Reddy
far past dread of his priest of his Bishop
Something of this home to the reverend father
as he looked at that blanched convulsed face.
There, there, Mahoney!' he repeated, striving
van1y think how he should deal with this extraor
binary outrage, when suddenly Reddy threw himself
on his knees before the priest
For Gods sake, Father MacNeil." he painted
never tell her! 'Twoud break her heart. But give
me penance-a double penance When you 60 in
fessional, shell tell you-lay me the penance for
both; you'll know why but don't let her know
about"
Reddy's utterance failed him. The priest looked
ance, Mahoney" he said; you'll get penance
from me-" And the little mans look of terror told
him that his intuition led Alright. This turbulent
soul had delivered itself into his hand at lastl 1t
should not buy back the old dangerous freedom with
penance.
But" he said, with his rare, winning smile ''you
may trust me not to tell her. -Reddys face bright
ened-" till l see you jealous again"