your
husband?"

"Yes," she said, "quite sure."

Their talk had taken them as far as Catherine's door, and Peter went
away wondering why he had not told her he was going to Maynooth; for no
one would have been able to advise him as well as Catherine, she had
such good sense.

III

There was a quarter of a mile between the two houses, and while Peter
was talking to Catherine, Pat Phelan was listening to his son James,
who was telling his father that Catherine had said she would not marry
him.

Pat was over sixty, but he did not give one the impression of an old
man. The hair was not grey, there was still a little red in the
whiskers. James, who sat opposite to him, holding his hands to the
blaze, was not as good-looking a man as his father, the nose was not as
fine, nor were the eyes as keen. There was more of the father in Peter
than in James.

When Peter opened the half-door, awaking the dozen hens that roosted on
the beam, he glanced from one to the other, for he suspected that his
father was telling James how he had failed to sell the bullocks. But
the tone of his father's voice when he asked him what had detained him
on the road told him he was mistaken; and then he remembered that
Catherine had said she would not marry James, and he began to pity his
brother.

"I met Catherine on the road, and I could do no less than walk as far
as her door with her."

"You could do no less than that, Peter," said James.

"And what do you mean by that, James?"

"Only this, that it is always the crooked way, Peter; for if it had
been you that had asked her she would have had you and jumping."

"She would have had me!"

"And now don't you think you had better run after her, Peter, and ask
her if she'll have you?"

"I'll never do that; and it is hurtful, James, that you should think
such a thing of me, that I would go behind your back and try to get a
girl from you."

"I did not mean that, Peter; but if she won't have me, you had better
try if you can get her."

And suddenly Peter felt a resolve come into his heart, and his manner
grew exultant.

"I've seen Father Tom, and he said I can pass the examination. I'm
going to be a priest."

And when they were lying down side by side Peter said, "James, it will
be all right." Knowing there was a great heart-sickness on his brother,
he put out his hand. "As sure as I lie here she will be lying next you
before this day twelvemonths. Yes, James, in this very bed, ly