be--er--a term of
_endearment_."

At this Terence chokes, then coughs solemnly, and finally, lowering the
fan, shows himself preternaturally grave, as a set-off against all
suspicions.

"I wouldn't pin my faith to that, miss, if I was you," says Ryan,
respectfully, but with a touch of the fine irony which is bred and born
with his class in Ireland.

"Well, but as we cannot explain this word, Timothy, and you cannot,
perhaps the best thing for you to do will be to go to the originator of
it and ask _him_ what he meant by it," says Miss Penelope, with quite
astonishing perspicacity for _her_.

"Shure I did that same, miss. 'Twas the first thing I said to him,
ma'am. 'What do ye mane, ye spalpeen, ye thief o' the world,' says I,
'by miscalling a dacent man out of his name like that?' says I. I gave
him all that, miss, and a dale more, though I've forgotten it be now,
for the Ryans was always famous for the gift o' the gab!"

"If you said all that to the poor marine, I think you gave him
considerably more than you got," says Miss Penelope, "and so you may cry
peace. Go down now, Timothy, and make it up with him over your beer."

Timothy, though still grumbling in an undertone death and destruction
upon the hated Sassenach, retires duteously, closing the door behind
him.

"Now, Penelope," says Miss Priscilla, with an air of relief, glancing at
the pens and ink, at which Monica's heart fails her. She has no doubt
whatever about the answer being a refusal, but a sad feeling that she
dare make no protest renders her doubly sorrowful.

"Dear me!" says Miss Penelope, leaning back in her chair with pen well
poised between her fingers, and a general air of pleased recollection
full upon her, "it sounds quite like old times--doesn't it?--to be
invited to the Barracks at Clonbree."

"Quite," says Miss Priscilla, with an amused smile.

"You remember when the Whiteboys were so troublesome, in our dear
father's time, what life the officers stationed here then, threw into
the country round. Such routs! such dances! such kettle-drums! You can
still recollect Mr. Browne--can you not, Priscilla?--that fashionable
young man!"

"_You_ have the best right to remember him," returns Miss Priscilla, in
a meaning tone. "It would be too ungrateful of you if you did not,
considering what a life you led him."

And at this the two old ladies break into hearty laughter and shake
their heads reproachfully at each other.

"You _know_ y