before ye. Sure, who'd
have eyes for any one else when you were to the fore?"

"Och, Mr. Brian, it's a shame for ye!" cried Elleney, with flashing
eyes. "Ye've no right to come givin' me impidence that way. I'll call
me a'nt."

"An' what would ye do that for? It's the truth I'm tellin' ye,
darlint. The very first minute I seen ye on the doorstep the heart
leapt out o' me breast. You're my choice, mavourneen, though I don't
so much as know your name yet."

Elleney gazed at him timidly. He was a pleasant-looking young fellow,
and his eyes were very kind. She turned quite pale because of the
rapid beating of her heart. What a wonderful thing it was that the
prize over whom all her rich cousins had been disputing should have
fallen to her share--to her, poor little penniless Elleney.

"It's too good of you entirely," she was beginning in a tremulous
voice; "but I don't think you ought to go disappintin' your father and
me a'nt."

But before she could proceed further in her little speech the narrow
door which gave access to the house was thrown open and Mary Nolan
appeared upon the scene.

"Elleney, you're to--" she was beginning, when she suddenly stopped,
and, to use her own expression, "let a yell" that brought her aunt and
cousins in tumult to the scene.

"I couldn't for the life o' me help it," she explained as they crowded
round her. "When I had the door opened who did I see but
himself"--designating Brian--"with his impident arm round Elleney's
waist--the bould little scut!"

"Sure, I didn't ax him to put it there," protested Elleney, beginning
to cry; "I didn't rightly know what he was doin'."

"Ladies," said the suitor, "don't disthress yourselves. There wasn't a
ha'porth of harm in it--me arm was in the right place. I come here by
my father's wish an' with your consent, ma'am, to choose one o' your
family for my wife. Me clargy wouldn't let me marry the whole of yez,
so I have to be content with one, an' I'm after choosin' this one."

Juliana laughed shrilly and ironically, and Henrietta clapped her
hands together; the rest stood round with stony faces, except Nanny,
who cast a dubious and compassionate glance at Elleney.

"Lord save us!" ejaculated Mrs. McNally, when she had recovered her
wits, "I never thought o' such a thing. I had a right to have told
ye--it's a mistake. Me poor young man, come away with me an' I'll tell
ye."

"No mistake at all, ma'am," Brian was beginning, with a bright
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