r head over the like of
us."

Mrs. Brophy was quite taken aback at this harangue, but soon recovered
herself sufficiently to rate Dan as soundly as she considered he
deserved; then, with many muttered comments on his ingratitude, she
proceeded to crawl over to the hearth to prepare breakfast.

"Woman alive!" ejaculated Dan presently, "sure it's not tay ye're
wettin' this mornin', an' only a sign of it left in the bag. Ye'll be
callin' out for yer cup on Sunday, an' there'll not be a grain left
for ye."

"Good gracious, won't the two of us be out of it before Sunday?"
returned Mary tartly. "Upon me word, a body 'ud lose patience wid ye
altogether. I'm sick an' tired tellin' ye that we've no call to be
savin' up the way we used to be doin'. Sit down there, an' don't
_saucer_ yer tay, but drink it like a Christian out o' the cup. An'
for goodness' sake, Dan, don't be blowin' it that way. I declare I'll
be ashamed of me life if that's the way ye're goin' to go on forenenst
Mrs. Larry."

"Would ye have me scald the throat out o' meself?" retorted Dan
indignantly. "I wish to goodness that letther o' Larry's was at the
bottom of the say. Ye're that contrairy sence, I dunno whatever to do
wid ye. Bedad, if that's the way wid ye I'll not stir a fut out o'
this. Mind that!"

Mrs. Brophy, though much incensed, nevertheless deemed it prudent to
make no reply; and presently Dan, pushing back his stool, got up and
went out. Mary sat cogitating for some minutes alone; her reflections
were not altogether of the pleasantest order, and she was relieved
when, by-and-by, Mrs. Kinsella's voice hailed her from the doorway.

"How's yourself this morning?" inquired the visitor pleasantly. "Did
you think it was dramin' ye were when ye woke up? I suppose the two o'
yez'll soon be out o' this now. I was thinkin'"--leaning her arms
affably on the half-door--"any ould things, ye know, that wouldn't be
worth yer while to bring along wid yous 'ud come in very handy for me
down below. Of course I wouldn't name it if ye were likely to be
takin' everythin' wid ye; but goin' all that way, an' lavin' nobody
afther ye--it's a terrible long fam'ly I have altogether, ma'am--I
declare I have the work of the world wid them. Terence--nothin' 'ud
serve him but to go makin' a drum out o' the on'y pot we have, an'
he's afther knocking a great big hole in it. So if ye weren't goin' to
take your big ould pot away wid ye, ma'am, I thought I'd just mention
it