Clodagh took a step forward.

"Stay the night, Larry? You can have father's room."

He shook his head and crossed to the fireplace.

"I owe you forty pounds," he said in an unsteady voice. "I'll leave
thirty here"--he drew out the notes he had shown her at Carrigmore, and
laid them under the clock on the mantelpiece--"the other ten I'll--I'll
give you to-morrow."

But Clodagh scarcely heard.

"Do stay! Oh, do stay!"

Again he shook his head, and pulled the bell-rope.

"I've put the notes here--under the clock."

"All right!--all right! But, Larry, can't you stay? It's a horrible
night."

"I can't!" Then, as the door opened and Burke appeared, he turned to
him hastily: "Burke, bring me a lantern. I want to get the boat out."

At last Clodagh's mind was torn from its own concerns.

"The boat! You're not going to cross the bay on a night like this?"

Old Burke came forward, looking from one to the other.

"Wisha, Masther Larry, is it crazy you are?"

Asshlin turned his flushed face on the old servant.

"We're all a bit crazy now and then, Tim. But I was never afraid of the
sea. Get me the lantern!"

Still Burke hesitated. But suddenly Asshlin stepped forward, with a
look so full of pride and domination, that by instinct he succumbed.

"As quick as you can, Burke!"

And the old man hobbled off.

There was silence between the cousins after he had gone. Asshlin leaned
upon the mantelpiece, with his face averted; Clodagh walked nervously
about the room, changing the arrangement of the silver on the
sideboard, snuffing the candles that had begun to gutter, doing any
aimless and unnecessary thing that could blur her sense of impending
solitude. At last she paused in the middle of the room.

"Larry----" she began desperately.

But at the same instant Burke's step sounded in the hall, and his voice
came to them through the open door.

"The lanthern is here, Masther Larry!"

Asshlin started.

"All right! I'm coming!" he called. "Good-night, Clo!" He walked
forward almost awkwardly, and took her cold hand.

She looked up into his face, her own misery blotting out all other
things.

"Larry! can't you stay?"

Asshlin passed his hand across his forehead.

"Don't ask me, Clo! Good-night!"

An instant later he was gone.

She ran out into the hall on the moment that she realised her
desertion.

"Larry!" she called--"Larry!"

But her voice was drowned in the gale, as Burke opened the hall door