ly, and she told me to keep it by me if I'd be waking or sleeping
and never lose it, and it'd bring me luck. She died soon after. But I'm
after keeping it with me from that day to this, and I'm telling you
there's great power in it, and 'tis great bad luck it's saved me from
and me roaming the seas, and I having it tied round my neck when my
last ship sunk, and it bringing me safe to land when the others went to
their death. [Very earnestly.] And I'm warning you now, if you'd swear
an oath on this, 'tis my old woman herself will be looking down from
Hivin above, and praying Almighty God and the Saints to put a great
curse on you if she'd hear you swearing a lie!

ANNA--[Awed by his manner--superstitiously] I wouldn't have the
nerve--honest--if it was a lie. But it's the truth and I ain't scared
to swear. Give it to me.

BURKE--[Handing it to her--almost frightenedly, as if he feared for her
safety.] Be careful what you'd swear, I'm saying.

ANNA--[Holding the cross gingerly.] Well--what do you want me to swear?
You say it.

BURKE--Swear I'm the only man in the world ivir you felt love for.

ANNA--[Looking into his eyes steadily] I swear it.

BURKE--And that you'll be forgetting from this day all the badness
you've done and never do the like of it again.

ANNA--[Forcibly.] I swear it! I swear it by God!

BURKE--And may the blackest curse of God strike you if you're lying.
Say it now!

ANNA--And may the blackest curse of God strike me if I'm lying!

BURKE--[With a stupendous sigh.] Oh, glory be to God, I'm after
believing you now! [He takes the cross from her hand, his face beaming
with joy, and puts it back in his pocket. He puts his arm about her
waist and is about to kiss her when he stops, appalled by some terrible
doubt.]

ANNA--[Alarmed.] What's the matter with you?

BURKE--[With sudden fierce questioning.] Is it Catholic ye are?

ANNA--[Confused.] No. Why?

BURKE--[Filled with a sort of bewildered foreboding.] Oh, God, help me!
[With a dark glance of suspicion at her.] There's some divil's trickery
in it, to be swearing an oath on a Catholic cross and you wan of the
others.

ANNA--[Distractedly.] Oh, Mat, don't you believe me?

BURKE--[Miserably.] If it isn't a Catholic you are--

ANNA--I ain't nothing. What's the difference? Didn't you hear me swear?

BURKE--[Passionately.] Oh, I'd a right to stay away from you--but I
couldn't! I was loving you in spite of it all and wanting to be with
you,