o be that he was in the way of doing a last service
for a poor soul who might never again have it in his power to repay.
"I'll come back at ten," said Jason, simply, and so he left them for
the present.

And when he was gone Adam said to Greeba as he turned indoors, "A
fine lad that, and as simple as a child, but woe to the man who
deceives him. Ay, or to the woman either. But you'll never do it,
girl? Eh? Never? Never?"

"Why, father, what can you mean? Are we not going away together?"
said Greeba.

"True, child, true," said Adam; and so without further answer to her
question, twice repeated, he passed with her into the house.

But Adam had his meaning as well as his reason for hiding it. Through
the silent walk from Lague he had revolved their position and come to
a fixed resolution concerning it. In the heat of his emotion it had
lifted up his heart that Greeba had chosen poverty with him before
plenty with her mother and her brothers, but when his passion had
cooled he rebuked himself for permitting her to do so. What right had
he to drag her through the slough of his own necessities! He was for
going away, not knowing the fate that was before him, but on what
plea made to his conscience dare he take her with him? He was old,
his life was behind him, and, save herself, he had no ties. What did
it matter to him how his struggle should end? But she was young, she
was beautiful, she might form new friendships, the world was before
her, the world might yet be at her feet, and life, so sweet and so
sad, and yet so good a thing withal, was ready and waiting for her.

Once he thought of Michael Sunlocks, and that the arms that would be
open to himself in that distant land would not be closed to Greeba.
And once he thought of Jason, and that to leave her behind was to
help the schemes that would bring them together. But put it as he
would, no farther could he get than this, that she must stay, and he
must go away alone.

Yet, knowing the strength of her purpose, he concealed his intention,
and his poor bewildered old head went about its work of preparation
very artfully. It was Friday, and still not far past noon, when they
reached their lodging by the cross. After a hasty meal he set out
into the town, leaving Greeba to rest, for she had walked far since
early morning. At the quay he inquired the date of a vessel that
called there sometimes in summer on its passage from Ireland to
Iceland, and to his surprise he fo