ter Quinns in the
world would she ever forget him, and that she would wait for him till
she was grey, she would, an' marry nobody else, no matter what might
happen.

Thus reassured, Mike could not do less than apologise for his
intemperate language, and a reconciliation was in the act of taking
place when Mr. Peter Rorke chanced to look over the hedge. It was past
milking-time, and he had come to see why his cows had not been driven
in as usual. Leaning on his stick and trembling with rage, he
apostrophised the young pair in no measured terms.

"Now I understand, miss," he added, after relieving his mind by a
burst of eloquence, "now I understand why you thought so bad of Mr.
Quinn's kind offer. It was this young schamer ye had in your mind--him
that ye should think no more of nor the dirt under your feet."

"Well then, grandfather," cried Roseen hotly, "I may as well tell ye
straight out that I won't stand here an' hear Michael Clancy abused.
He's all the husband ever I'll have, an' ye may make up your mind to
that."

Peter spluttered with fury and brandished his stick. It was perhaps
well for the girl that the hedge divided them.

"Get in wid ye into the house this minute out o' me sight," he
screamed. "Him your husband! A dirty little beggar's brat that I
picked up out o' the gutter for charity!"

"Charity yourself," interrupted Mike, squaring his shoulders. "I've
done more work for ye nor ever ye paid me for--now! And the Clancys is
as good as the Rorkes, an' an oulder family, though we are down in the
world, along wid bad luck an' misfortun'."

"The Clancys is an ould ancient family," chimed in Roseen. Her
grandfather turned to her, almost beside himself with exasperation.

"Get in wid ye to the house this instant, as I bid ye, miss; or it'll
be the worse for ye. Be off, now, before I come over the hedge to
you."

"If you dar' lay a finger," began Mike; but Roseen interrupted him
with a little defiant laugh.

"Sure, I am not afeard of him, Mike. I am more afeard of his hurting
himself nor me; but I'm goin' now, anyway, an' I am glad ye know the
truth, grandfather, so that ye needn't be botherin' me about Mr.
Quinn."

She went away, moving slowly and carrying her curly head very high.

Peter watched her till she was out of sight and hearing, and then
turned to Mike.

"Now then," he cried, "we'll have this matter settled. You'll go out
o' this, me lad, an' so will your father an' mother. They're owi