.

And the men smoked on a while, and they ruminated as they smoked.

"It would be better, James, that Peter got her than that she should
stay in a convent."

"I wouldn't say that," said James.

"You see," said his father, "she did not go into the convent because
she had a calling, but because she was crossed in love."

And after another long while James said, "It is a bitter dose, I am
thinking, father, but you must go and tell her that Peter has left
Maynooth."

"And what would the Reverend Mother be saying to me if I went to her
with such a story as that? Isn't your heart broken enough already,
James, without wanting me to be breaking it still more? Sure, James,
you could never see her married to Peter?"

"If she were to marry Peter I should be able to go to America, and that
is the only thing for me."

"That would be poor consolation for you, James."

"Well, it is the best I shall get, to see Peter settled, and to know
that there will be some one to look after you, father."

"You are a good son, James."

They talked on, and as they talked it became clearer to them that some
one must go to-morrow to the convent and tell Catherine that Peter had
left Maynooth.

"But wouldn't it be a pity," said Pat Phelan, "to tell her this if
Peter is not going to marry her in the end?"

"I'll have him out of his bed," said James, "and he'll tell us before
this fire if he will or won't."

"It's a serious thing you are doing, James, to get a girl out of a
convent, I am thinking."

"It will be on my advice that you will be doing this, father; and now
I'll go and get Peter out of his bed."

And Peter was brought in, asking what they wanted of him at this hour
of the night; and when they told him what they had been talking about
and the plans they had been making, he said he would be catching his
death of cold, and they threw some sods of turf on the fire.

"It is against myself that I am asking a girl to leave the convent,
even for you, Peter," said James. "But we can think of nothing else."

"Peter will be able to tell us if it is a sin that we'd be doing."

"It is only right that Catherine should know the truth before she made
her vows," Peter said. "But this is very unexpected, father. I really--"

"Peter, I'd take it as a great kindness. I shall never do a hand's turn
in this country. I want to get to America. It will be the saving of me."

"And now, Peter," said his father, "tell us for sure if you will ha