tarted. They
wint a matter of ten rods and then I saw the lamps again. They had
turned, and they stopped before the porch--the gray mare on her
haunches. 'Phelim,' I says, 'what ails you, you've a light hand whin
you're sober.' His riverince leaned over and whispered--'The oil cruet,
Miss Molly, and don't let the gossoon see it,' I wint in, came out with
the cruet in a paper, and handed it to him. 'All right, Phelim,' he
says, and the gray mare started. At six in the mornin' I heard the
gravel crunch, and I wint to the door. There stood the gray mare, her
head down, and her tail bobbin'. 'You've over-driven her, Phelim,' says
I. 'Perhaps,' says he, 'but I knew you were sittin' up for me. The curse
of Ireland,' says he, 'is that her women sit up for her men.' 'How is
the poor woman?' I says. 'She's dead,' says Phelim; 'Father Flynn is
waiting for the neighbors to come.' 'And the little gossoon?' says I.
Phelim leaned down from the dog-cart; 'Aunt Molly,' says he, 'we can't
afford to keep what we have already, can we?' 'No,' says I. 'Thin,' says
Phelim, 'we can just as well afford to keep one more; so I told him to
come to us, after the funeral.'"

"I don't quite follow that reasoning," said the earl.

"I am more sure than ever, that I should like Phelim," said the
cardinal. "Why do you not have him on?"

"He's six foot three," explained Miss O'Kelly; "the yacht wouldn't fit
him. He couldn't stand up, below. There is six foot seven between decks,
but the electric lights project four inches. Then the beds--there isn't
one more than six foot six. We had Phelim on board and tried him. He
stayed one night. 'Aunt Molly,' he said, in the mornin', 'Nora has a
beautiful boat, plenty of towels, and a good cook. I should like to go
with you, but I'm scared. I kept awake last night, with my knees drawn
up, and all went well, but if ever I fall asleep and straighten out,
I'll kick the rudder out of her.' We couldn't have Phelim aboard, your
imminence; he'd cancel the marine insurance."

While Miss O'Kelly had been running on, the cardinal had been politely
listening. He had also been discreetly observing. He had the attribute
of politicians and ecclesiastics--he could exercise all his senses
together. While he was smiling at Miss O'Kelly he had seen Lady Nora
take from the gold vase one of the scarlet roses, press it, for an
instant, to her lips and then, under cover of the table, pass it to the
earl. He had seen the earl slowly