of feudal feeling and not selling the property. Of course
he's bound to lose by the sale, but the longer he waits the worse it
gets."

"I don't think it's only feudal feeling--he says he can't afford to
sell," began Christian.

"Oh, I know all that, my dear," interrupted Judith; "'the infernal
mortgagees, and the damned charges, and that blackguard rebel, young
Mangan, who cut the ground from under his feet,' and so on. I've heard
it all from Papa, exactly five thousand times. But the point is that
there was a meeting at Pribawn, with the priest in the chair, and
there were furious speeches, and they talked of boycotting Papa, and
some steps _ought_ to be taken. It's an intolerable nuisance
being boycotted, if it's nothing else, and most expensive. I was with
the O'Donnells that time when they were boycotted--up at five every
morning to milk the cows and light the kitchen fire, and having to get
every earthly thing by post from London!"

"I'll take as many steps as you like," said Christian, "if you'll only
tell me where to take them."

Judith took her cigarette out of her mouth, and blew a ring of smoke,
regarding her younger sister the while with a shrewd and wary blue
eye.

"I've often said to you, my dear child," she began, in a voice that
seemed intended to usher in a change of subject, "that if you _won't_
take an interest in men, _they_ won't take an interest; in you."

"Then why repeat the statement?" said Christian, wondering what Judith
was working up to, and girding herself for battle; "true and beautiful
though it is!"

"Because, my dear--and I may say I speak as one having authority and
not as the scribes--in _my_ opinion, and judging by what I
perceived with about a quarter of one eye at breakfast, you have only
to hold up your little finger, in a friendly and encouraging manner,
and our young friend and relative, Mr. Coppinger, will--I admit I
don't quite know what people do with little fingers in these cases,
something affectionate, no doubt!"

"I thought your authority would have extended to little fingers!"
broke in Christian, sparring for wind, and wishing she were not facing
the window; "in any case, I fail to see what mine, in this instance,
has to say to our being boycotted?"

"My dear girl," said Judith, leaning forward, and speaking with
solemnity, "the priests won't want to fall foul of anyone with as much
money as Larry!"

Christian was silent; she had not anticipated quite so di