ldn't be meaning any harm, whatever it was; though the
girl's no match for him, and I wouldn't care for him to be carrying on
with her, when it's a girl with a fortune he ought to get, and what's
more, can get, whenever I choose to ask for her. But I wouldn't pay any
attention to what was put out about him and Mary Ellen. I'm only telling
you so as you'd know why it is that the boy's mind is riz against you."

"What nonsense! Everybody in the place knows that it's Constable
Moriarty who's after the girl."

"It's just that that's troubling the boy. On account of Constable
Moriarty being a comrade of his; so that he wouldn't like him to be
thinking---- But sure, I'll fetch him for you, if you like."

Young Kerrigan appeared a few minutes later. His father did not come
back with him. He may have felt it necessary, in the interests of his
business, to go on skinning the sheep. It was evident at once that the
young man was in a bad temper, but Dr. O'Grady did not mean to waste
time in explanations if he could possibly help it.

"Listen to me, Kerrigan," he said, "do you know this tune?"

He whistled "Rule Britannia" slowly and distinctly.

"I do not know it," said young Kerrigan, "nor I don't want to."

Dr. O'Grady whistled it through again.

"It's a good tune," he said. "It would be a nice one for the band to
learn."

"It would not."

"What's the matter with you?" said Dr. O'Grady. "To look at the
expression of your face anybody'd think that the sheep in the back yard
had been skinning you."

"You know well what's the matter with me."

"If you're nursing a grievance," said Dr. O'Grady, "because Thady
Gallagher told the American gentleman that you were married to Mary
Ellen and had twins, you ought to have more sense."

It is always very difficult to remain in a bad temper with anyone who
insists on being pleasant and cheerful. Young Kerrigan began to give
way. He grinned unwillingly.

"That's the first I heard of twins," he said.

"And he only said it to please the American gentleman," said Dr.
O'Grady. "Nobody believed him."

"Sure I know well enough," said young Kerrigan, "that there has to be
lies told to the likes of that one. How else would you content them? I
wouldn't mind myself what was said, knowing it was meant for the best,
only that Constable Moriarty----"

"Moriarty doesn't mind a bit," said Dr. O'Grady; "so if it's only his
feelings you're thinking of, you may just as well listen to this t