, that hasn't a penny to the
good! A purty farmer's wife she'll make, and purtily she'll fill my poor
mother's shoes, God be good to her! A poor, unsignified, smooth-faced
thing, that never did a dacent day's work out of doors, barring to
shake up a cock of hay, or pull the growing of a peck of flax! Oh! thin,
mother darlin', that's in glory this day! but it's a purty head of a
house he's puttin' afther you; and myself, too, must knock under to the
like of her, and see her put up in authority over my head. Let me
alone, Felix; your laughing wont pass. The sorra kay you'll get from me
to-day."

Felix, who was resolved to procure the key, saw that there was
nothing for it but a little friendly violence. A good-humored struggle
accordingly commenced between them--good-humored on his side, but bitter
and determined on the part of Maura. Finding it difficult to secure the
key, even by violence, Felix was about to give up the contest, and force
the lock at once, when Hugh entered.

"What's all this?" he inquired. "What racket's this? Is it beating your
sister you are? Is the young headstrong profligate beating you, Maura,
eh?"

"No, Hugh, not that; but he wants the kay to deck himself up for
marrying that pot of his. God knows, I'd rather he did beat me than do
what he's going to do."

"Felix," said his brother, "I'm over you in place of your father, and
I tell you that it'll cost me a sore fall, or I'll put a stop to this
day's work. A purty bridegroom you are, and a 'sponsible father of a
family you'll make! By my sowl, it's a horsewhip I ought to take to you,
and lash all thoughts of marriage out of you. What a hurry you are in
to go a shoolin' (to become the rustic _chevalier d'industrie_). You
had betther provide yourself the bag and staff at once, for if you marry
this portionless, good-for-nothing hussy----"

Felix's eye flashed, and, for the first time in his life, he turned a
fierce glance upon his brother.

"She's no hussy, Hugh; and if another man said it----" he paused, for it
was but the 'hectic of a moment.'

"You'd knock him down, I suppose," said Hugh. "Why don't you speak it
out? Why, Maura, he's a man on our hands, and I suppose he'll be a bully
to-morrow, or next day, and put us all under his feet, and make us all
knuckle down to his poppet of a wife."

"Hugh," said Felix, "I am willin to forget and forgive all the harshness
ever you showed me, and to remimber nothing but your kindness, and you
w