he morning
wants of half a regiment, and had fully determined that it should not
be wasted. The Kelly girls were both up, and ready to do anything for
their friend; so they got her to take a little of Sally's specific, and
put her into a warm bed to sleep, quiet and secure from any
interruption.

While her guest was sleeping, the widow made up her mind that her best
and safest course, for the present, would be, as she expressed it to
her daughter, Meg, "to keep her toe in her pump, and say nothing to
nobody."

"Anty can just stay quiet and asy," she continued, "till we see what
Master Barry manes to be afther; he'll find it difficult enough to move
her out of this, I'm thinking, and I doubt his trying. As to money
matthers, I'll neither meddle nor make, nor will you, mind; so listen
to that, girls; and as to Moylan, he's a dacent quiet poor man--but
it's bad thrusting any one. Av' he's her agent, however, I s'pose he'll
look afther the estate; only, Barry'll be smashing the things up there
at the house yonder in his anger and dhrunken fits, and it's a pity
the poor girl's property should go to rack. But he's such a born
divil, she's lucky to be out of his clutches alive; though, thank the
Almighty, that put a good roof over the lone widow this day, he can't
clutch her here. Wouldn't I like to see him come to the door and ax for
her! And he can't smash the acres, nor the money they say Mulholland
has, at Tuam; and faix, av' he does any harm up there at the house,
shure enough Anty can make him pay for--it every pot and pan of it--out
of his share, and she'll do it, too--av' she's said by me. But mind,
I'll neither meddle nor make; neither do you, and then we're safe, and
Anty too. And Martin'll be here soon--I wondher what good Dublin'll
do him?--They might have the Repale without him, I suppose?--And when
he's here, why, av' he's minded to marry her, and she's plased, why,
Father Geoghegan may come down, and do it before the whole counthry,
and who's ashamed? But there'll be no huggery-muggery, and schaming;
that is, av' they're said by me. Faix, I'd like to know who she's to
be afeared of, and she undher this roof! I s'pose Martin ain't fool
enough to care for what such a fellow as Barry Lynch can do or say--and
he with all the Kellys to back him; as shure they would, and why not,
from the lord down? Not that I recommend the match; I think Martin a
dale betther off as he is, for he's wanting nothing, and he's his own