leased to see you! As I've said to Ellen, many's the
time, 'Why don't you bring your friend out to see me? Bring him any
time,' says I, 'for the friends of me children are always welcome in
this house.' And himself says the same thing, Mr. Long."

The florid well-built young man who gave Rosie the impression of bright
tan shoes, gray spats, a fancy vest, and massive watchfob, waited,
smiling, until Mrs. O'Brien was done and then remarked in friendly,
cordial tones: "Just call me Harry, Mrs. O'Brien. I'm plain Harry to my
friends."

"Well, I'm sure you're among friends when you're here," Mrs. O'Brien
said with a downcast look of melting coyness. "But I fear you won't
think so if I keep you standing much longer. Won't you sit down, Mr.--I
mean, won't you sit down, Harry? You see, Harry," she continued, "I'm
taking you at your word. And now I must introduce Jackie to you.
Jackie's me second b'y. Now, Jackie dear, shake hands with Mr. Long and
tell him you're glad to see him. The baby's name, Harry, is Geraldine.
Besides her, I've got Terence who's a fine lad--oh, I know you'll be
glad to meet Terry!--and Rosie who's next to Terry and who's helping me
with the supper tonight so's to give me a chance to say 'How do you do'
to you. Ah, if I do say it, I've a fine brood of children and never a
word of bickering among them.... Now, Jackie dear, like a good b'y, will
you run upstairs and tell your da to come down this minute, that we're
waiting for him, and then run into the kitchen and ask sister Rosie if
the supper's ready."

Rosie slipped hurriedly back to the kitchen and then, through Jack,
summoned the family in.

When she was presented to the newcomer, she added to her first
impressions the smooth pinkish face of a city-bred man who had never
been exposed to the real violence of sun and wind, a cravat pin and seal
ring that were fellows to the watchfob, and hands that bore themselves
as if a little conscious of a recent visit to the manicure.

As Rosie gathered in these details, she saw, in contrast, the figure of
George Riley: the roughened weatherbeaten face, the cheap ill-fitting
clothes, the big hands coarsened with work, the heavy feet. Ellen, of
course, and girls like Ellen would be taken in by the new man's flashy
appearance and easy confident manner, but not Rosie. Rosie hated him on
sight! She knew the difference between tinsel and solid worth and she
longed to cry out to him: "You needn't think you can fool