, looked sternly round.

"The less said about some things the better," she remarked. "Mr.
Brian, I'll trouble ye to go into the parlour--ye'd best go with him
too, Nanny; all the girls are there."

"Will ye step up to the show-room?" said Nanny, with a giggle.

"Troth," returned Brian, who was now in some measure recovering his
self-possession, "I think the best o' the stock is what I'm afther
seein' in the shop."

He followed her out of the room, and a slight scuffle was presently
heard in the passage. Mrs. McNally solemnly closed the door, and came
back to Pat and Elleney, who stood looking equally downcast and
confused.

"I'd like to know, Pat Rooney," she said, gazing at the young man
sternly, "what talk at all this is between you and me niece? What
business is it o' yours to interfere? I don't understand it at all,
Elleney--I'm very much put about--"

"It's no fault of Miss Elleney's, ma'am," said Pat quickly. "She'd
nothin' to say to it at all. I forgot meself altogether. When I seen
that fellow makin' little of a chance that I'd give the two eyes out
o' my head for--"

"O Pat, whisht for goodness sake!" interrupted Elleney. "Ye oughtn't
to be talkin' like that."

"Sure I know that very well, Miss Elleney, darlint--I know I might
just as well be cryin' for the moon. But the murder's out now, an'
'pon me word I'm glad of it. I couldn't stop here the way I am--I'd go
mad altogether. I'll throuble ye to look out for another boy, Mrs.
McNally, ma'am--I wish to leave in a week's time."

Mrs. McNally gasped.

"Isn't it the great fool you are, Pat Rooney, to go give up your good
place for a stupid notion like this? Ye know Miss Elleney 'ud never
demean herself to you."

"Ay, ma'am, I know she looks on me as the dirt under her feet."

"Then stop where ye are," said Mrs. McNally, comfortably. "You're a
very good boy when you don't let your wits go wool-gatherin'. As for
my niece, she's no notion of encouragin' any nonsense--have ye,
Elleney?"

Elleney's long lashes were downcast, and she nervously twisted her
apron.

"Sure ye haven't, dear?" said her aunt persuasively. "Tell the poor
foolish fellow that ye haven't, an' then he'll be puttin' it
altogether out of his head."

Elleney raised her eyes and looked at Pat, and then dropped them
again.

"He's the only one in the wide world that cares for me," she said,
with a quivering lip.

"Bless us and save us!" gasped Mrs. McNally. "If that's the way it