The Irish standard., 1915-09-11

mother had had to threaten to disclose
10 her father the girls dealings with
crawford. Brought home against her
VIII. she was sullen, irritable and
quarrelsome and thought only of how
she could throw off the restraint placed
upon her and get back to New York
and the theater.
Aside from Mallory, who was sus.
tanned in his trouble by the conscious.
ness OF the nearness of his marriage
and by the encouragement Of his bride
to be, the only person who preserved
any semblance of cheerfulness was
Patsy. She was to become Mrs. NAL
lory Immediately the work of winding
up the stable business had been con-
Guided, and the mere fact that she was
with him and her other loved ones ey-
cry day made her happy. She could
not be downcast and refused to believe
that everything would not come out
right in the end. To her love made oil
things easy, and its glamour was upon
everything.
She and Mallory had decided that
when the time to leave Maple Grove
arrived they would be married with
out fuss Of any kind and take up their
abode temporarily in the fat owned
Jointly by Patsy and Nora in New
York, where he would be in personal
touch with the men who could employ
him. Mr.. and Mrs. O'Brien were to
remove their belongings to a little
house in the village Of Maple Grove,
where they were to reside with Nora
until further notice.
1t was about week after their re-
turn home and while all were under
the influence of that feverish restless
ness which accompanies the sudden
sense Of nonproprietorship Of a place
that one has regarded as ones own
and of the imminence of departure
that the household was surprised one
afternoon by visit from the Duke.
Mrs. O'Brien was alone in the kitch-
en- when, transformed as Patsy had
seen him, he drove up in the village
hack and alighted.
"Hiv'n help us, who's this?" she
muttered, taking stock Of him for a
moment through the window and then
hastily busting the chairs with her
apron. "Must be some wan come to
buy the stable"
The Duke knocked and walked in
without waiting for her to open the
door.
"Don'tcher know me, Mrs. O'Brien?"
he questioned, his face beaming.
There was no mistaking his voice and
his accent.
"Bless the choild, tits the Dock. Well,
OF declare!' she exclaimed, beaming in
turn. "Oi thought sure yez was the
president or the Prince av Wales, yez
looks SO smart"
"Me toys amt SO dusty. are they?" he
said. Bought 'em in London. 'Ad 'em
hyde to measure in a swagger shop in
Ugh 'Olborn. Twig the gyvry tie .pinv
"Ye're rale beautiful" she declared,
can clane enough to eat. OF niver seen
yez look SO clane." -.
give wallered in q mariners gryve,
otherwise barth, every d'y since
went away" he told her proudly.
"a bath every day! Ye're too hoigh
toned for Maple Grove. But don't
stand twistin' yir hat in yir hand; sit
down an tell US where you've been an
phwat's happened to yez."
She sat down herself and prepared to
listen to his story, but just at that min
ute Patsy and Nora, who had seen the
hack approaching and wanted to know
who the caller was and what he want
ed, came downstairs.
Patsy was glad to see the Duke
again. Her gratitude for his kindness
to her in her trouble and for his discre-
ton in refraining from asking ques-
lions had not diminished. She ad-
vanced, with smile and q CHEEKY
greeting, and shook hands with him
cordially. Timidly and blushing deeply,
he extended his hand. to Nora. The
girl, who had been eying him with
wonder, gave him her own Imply.
"Ain't it fine for you all to be ERE"
he said. "It feels like comm 'ome.
You was all so awful kind to me that
just lad to come down an see you as
soon as could"
"'Tis Welcome We are, an Oi'm glad
to see yez," the old woman assured
him. "Yez have come long way, an
must stay to have bite with u.s.
THANK you, mum. I'd like to st'y
altogether If me old plyce's goin'," he
said.
"It isn't, me poor bhoy. an yez have
had yir journey for nothin'," she re-
piled sadly. mister Mallory d give it
to yez If he could, Orm sure. but he
can't. The stables goin' to be sold, an
we'll be lookin' for jobs ourselves, so
ye'd better take the first train back
OF visit ye'd "a written; 'twould have
saved yez the expinse.''
1.-THE styble's for. syle? wot for?"
asked the surprised Duke. "Oon't It
p'yT
ut amt that, an OF can't give yez
the particulars, SEEM they don't con-
Germ yez. The partnerships broken,
that's ALL"
"Bli' me tight! 'Oo'd "a thought til"
he calculated. "How about the
Shrimp; as e gomez"
Eyes; he's already gone"
.'Too bad. I'd like to "a seen him."
Pressed by Mrs. O'Brien, the Duke
explained the reason Of his summons