t the last station, and that as soon as they came awake they pulled
the cord. 'Go on out o' that now, ye ould divil!' said the guard
giving a kick to the last of them. I assure you I didn't feel inclined
to laugh, even then, darling, though it was so ridiculous!"

She pressed him to eat, but he was too weary to eat much; and she
vetoed his seeing his father before morning, being afraid that the
strange pallor on the face of the sick man would frighten the boy.

She got him off at last, unwillingly, but out of consideration for her
weariness. She was going to bed, she said; Reilly was taking the night
watch. She had not slept all the preceding night. He had not asked
about Stella, although several times she had thought he was about to
ask. She hoped he would not ask. How was she to answer him if he did?

She said good-night to him in his warm fire-lit room, feeling the
sweetness and comfort of having him there again despite all the
trouble: and, half-way to the door, she was stopped by the question she
had dreaded.

"Mother, have you seen Stella?"

"You shall see her to-morrow," she answered, and hurried away, feeling
dreadfully guilty because she imagined the light of joy in his young
face.

Despite all her troubles she slept soundly, the sleep of
dead-tiredness: and when she awoke it was half-past seven. She could
hear the maid in the drawing-room below her lighting the fire. It was
still grey, but there were indications of a beautiful sunrise in the
long golden-yellow light that was breaking in the sky: and a robin was
singing.

She did not feel inclined to lie on. She was refreshed and
strengthened for the many difficulties of the day before her. She got
up, dressed and went down to the sick-room. Reilly was just coming out
with a scuttle-full of ashes: he had been "doing" the grate and
lighting the fire. He had expressed a wish that there might be as few
intruders in the sick-room as possible.

"The thing is to keep him quiet, m'lady," he had said. "They are
well-meaning girls"--referring to the maids--"but as like as not they'd
drop the fire-irons just when he was in a beautiful sleep."

Reilly looked quite cheerful; and Lady O'Gara began to think that the
flat side-whiskered face had something very pleasant about it after
all. He did not wait for her to make inquiries.

"He's doing nicely, m'lady," he said. "He's been awake and asked for
your ladyship."

"Oh!" she said with a catch of