like as him of Hap House,
by all accounts."

But Father Barney still kept to his subject. "And they are both at
your place at the present moment, eh, Fanny?"

"They was to dine there, after I left."

"And the old man said he'd be down here again next Thursday,"
continued the priest. "I heard that for certain. I'll tell you what
it is, they're not after any good here. They are Protestants, ain't
they?"

"Oh, black Protestants," said Mrs. O'Dwyer. "But you are not taking
your tay, Father Bernard," and she again filled his cup for him.

"If you'll take my advice, Fanny, you'll give them nothing more
without seeing their money. They'll come to no good here, I'm sure of
that. They're afther some mischief with that poor old gentleman at
Castle Richmond, and it's my belief the police will have them before
they've done."

"Like enough," said Mrs. O'Dwyer.

"They may have them to-morrow, for what I care," said Fanny, who
could not help feeling that Aby Mollett had at one time been not
altogether left without hope as her suitor.

"But you wouldn't like anything like that to happen in your father's
house," said Father Barney.

"Bringing throuble and disgrace on an honest name," said Mrs.
O'Dwyer.

"There'd be no disgrace as I knows of," said Fanny, stoutly. "Father
makes his money by the public, and in course he takes in any that
comes the way with money in their pockets to pay the shot."

"But these Molletts ain't got the money to pay the shot," said Mrs.
O'Dwyer, causticly. "You've about sucked 'em dhry, I'm thinking, and
they owes you more now than you're like to get from 'em."

"I suppose father 'll have to take that bill up," said Fanny,
assenting. And so it was settled down there among them that the
Molletts were to have the cold shoulder, and that they should in fact
be turned out of the Kanturk Hotel as quickly as this could be done.
"Better a small loss at first, than a big one at last," said Mrs.
O'Dwyer, with much wisdom. "They'll come to mischief down here, as
sure as my name's M'Carthy," said the priest. "And I'd be sorry your
father should be mixed up in it."

And then by degrees the conversation was changed, but not till the
tea-things had been taken away, and a square small bottle of very
particular whisky put on the table in its place. And the sugar also
was brought, and boiling water in an immense jug, as though Father
Barney were going to make a deep potation indeed, and a lemon in a
wine gla