his poor sisthers--for Heaven knew they war like to be bad enough off,
for all she'd be able to do for them!" From this she got to Martin's
own future mode of life, suggesting a "small snug cottage on the farm,
just big enough for them two, and, may-be, a slip of a girl servant,
and not to be taring and tatthering away, as av' money had no eend;
and, afther all," she added, "there war nothing like industhry; and who
know'd whether that born villain, Barry, mightn't yet get sich a hoult
of the money, that there'd be no getting it out of his fist?" and she
then depicted, in most pathetic language, what would be the misery of
herself and all the Kellys if Martin, flushed with his prosperity, were
to give up the farm at Toneroe, and afterwards find that he had been
robbed of his expected property, and that he had no support for himself
and his young bride.

On this subject Martin considerably comforted her by assuring her that
he had no thoughts of abandoning Toneroe, although he did not go so far
as to acquiesce in the very small cottage; and he moreover expressed
his thorough confidence that he would neither be led himself, nor lead
Anty, into the imprudence of a marriage, until he had well satisfied
himself that the property was safe.

The widow was well pleased to find, from Martin's prudent resolves,
that he was her own son, and that she needn't blush for him; and then
they parted, she to her shop, and he to his dinner: not however, before
he had promised her to give up all ideas of a clandestine marriage, and
to permit himself to be united to his wife in the face of day, as
became a Kelly.

The evening passed over quietly and snugly at the inn. Martin had not
much difficulty in persuading his three companions to take a glass
of punch each out of his tumbler, and less in getting them to take a
second, and, before they went to bed, he and Anty were again intimate.
And, as he was sitting next her for a couple of hours on the little
sofa opposite the fire, it is more than probable that he got his arm
round her waist--a comfortable position, which seemed in no way to
shock the decorum of either Meg or Jane.

IX. MR DALY, THE ATTORNEY

We must now see how things went on in the enemy's camp.

The attorney drove up to the door of Dunmore House on his car, and was
shown into the drawing-room, where he met Barry Lynch. The two young
men were acquainted, though not intimate with each other, and they
bowed, and th