"fer not axin'
ye in at the first; but indade, an' it's more your blame than mine,
fer sorra a bit o' thim takes afther ye."

"They do not resemble me, you mean?" said the father. "No, they are
the likeness of their mother." As he spoke he pulled out a leather
case, opened it and passed it to Mrs. Fitzpatrick.

"Aw, will ye look at that now!" she cried, gazing at the beautiful
miniature. "An' the purty face av her. Sure, it's a rale queen she was,
an' that's no lie. An' the girl is goin' to be the very spit av her.
An' the bye, he's got her blue eyes an' her bright hair. It's aisy
seen where they git their looks," she added, glancing at him.

"Mind yer manners, now thin," growled Tim, who was very
considerably impressed by the military carriage and the
evident "quality" of their guest.

"Yes, the children have the likeness of their mother," said the
father in a voice soft and reminiscent. "It is in their behalf I am
here to-night, Madam--what shall I have the honour to name you?"

"Me name, is it?" cried Mrs. Fitzpatrick. "Mishtress Timothy
Fitzpatrick, Monaghan that was, the Monaghans o' Ballinghalereen,
an owld family, poor as Job's turkey, but proud as the divil,
an' wance the glory o' Mayo. An' this," she added, indicating
her spouse with a jerk of her thumb, "is Timothy Fitzpatrick,
me husband, a dacent man in his way. Timothy, where's yer manners?
Shtand up an' do yer duty."

Tim struggled to his feet, embarrassed with the burden
of Paulina's baby, and pulled his forelock.

"And my name," said the Russian, answering Timothy's salutation
with a profound bow, "is Michael Kalmar, with respect to you and
Mr. Vichpatrick."

Mrs. Fitzpatrick was evidently impressed.

"An' proud I am to see ye in me house," she said, answering his
bow with a curtsey. "Tim, ye owl ye! Why don't ye hand his honour
a chair? Did ye niver git the air o' a gintleman before?"

It took some minutes to get the company settled, owing to the
reluctance of the Russian to seat himself while the lady was
standing, and the equal reluctance of Mrs. Fitzpatrick to take
her seat until she had comfortably settled her guest.

"I come to you, Mrs. Vichpatrick, on behalf of my children."

"An' fine childer they are, barrin' the lad is a bit av a limb betimes."

In courteous and carefully studied English, Kalmar told his need.
His affairs called him to Europe. He might be gone a year, perhaps
more. He needed some one to care for his children.