soon, for the sister, they say, is
coming into a lot of money.

KATE. Ach, you and your cigars! Will you get out of this and quit
tormenting people? Go on. Out you go.

BROWN (_as if out of curiosity, picks up the cigar and goes out
slowly_).

DANIEL. He's a very impertinent man that. Very worrisome.

KATE. Ach, never heed him, Mr. Dan! sure no one in this house does.
You'll be tired after travelling, sir. Will I make you a drop of tea?

DANIEL. It's hard to eat anything, Kate, when I'm worried.
(_Despairingly._) I don't think there's another man living that has
the same worries as I have. Something awful! Where's the pen and ink,
I wonder?

KATE. There's some here on the dresser, Miss Mary was using it
to-day. (_She takes it over from the dresser to the table._ DANIEL
_rises and goes over and sits down and begins slowly to write._) Cheer
up, Mr. Daniel. Sure you sold the plans of the bellows anyway. Didn't
you, sir? They had word up at the McAleenans the other night that you
got two thousand for it.

DANIEL (_astonished_). Eh? They said that.

KATE. Aye. To be sure. McAndless told McArdle, and he told Smith the
postman, and the postman told the McAleenans, and said he had seen
letters about it. And McAleenan was up in McMinns the other night and
told them, and I believe you never saw such an astonished crowd of
people in all their lives.

DANIEL. He told the McMinns that?

KATE. Aye, last night I think it was.

DANIEL. Last night? (_He looks at the letter._) Yesterday was the
14th, wasn't it? Aye. It was. I wonder did they believe McAleenan?

KATE. I don't think they know right what to make of it. And yon
Scotchman was there at the time, and mind you, Mr. Dan, they say he
looked quite serious when he heard it, and said such things as that
happened many's a time.

DANIEL (_incredulously_). Mackenzie said that?

KATE. Aye. You know, I think it's maybe because he has a wee notion of
Miss Mary, sir.

DANIEL. It's quite possible. Quite possible. A nice wee girl is Mary.
Fact, too good for the half of the clodhoppers about these parts. (_He
takes up the parcel, pen, and ink, and paper, and goes across into the
workshop._)

KATE (_looking after him_). Poor creature. I'm feared he's for the
road again if he doesn't worry out some way for himself. And God knows
he's the one best fitted for it. (MARY _enters._) Well, did you see
him off comfortably?

MARY. Who?

KATE. Alick McCready.

MARY. Kate. I wi