d friends. I can tell him Jimmy made a confession to
me, that he was trying to repeat to him, when punishment, far more
awful than anything you have suffered, overtook him. Always remember,
Mary, he died unshriven!" Mary began to shiver. "Your suffering is
over," continued the priest. "You have many good years yet that you may
spend with Dannie; God will give you living children, I am sure. Think
of the years Jimmy's secret has hounded and driven him! Think of the
penalty he must pay before he gets a glimpse of paradise, if he be not
eternally lost!"

"I have!" exclaimed Mary. "And it is nothing to the fact that he took
Dannie from me, and yet kept him in my home while he possessed me
himsilf for years. May he burn----"

"Mary! Let that suffice!" cried the priest. "He will! The question now
is, shall I go to Dannie?"

"Will you till him just what Jimmy told you? Will you till him that I
have loved him always?"

"Yes," said Father Michael.

"Will you go now?"

"I cannot! I have work. I will come early in the morning."

"You will till him ivirything?" she repeated.

"I will," promised Father Michael.

Mary went back to Mrs. Dolan's comforted. She was anxious to return
home at once, but at last consented to spend the day. Now that she was
sure Dannie did not know the truth, her heart warmed toward him. She
was anxious to comfort and help him in the long struggle which she saw
that he must have endured. By late afternoon she could bear it no
longer and started back to Rainbow Bottom in time to prepare supper.

For the first hour after Mary had gone Dannie whistled to keep up his
courage. By the second he had no courage to keep. By the third he was
indulging in the worst fit of despondency he ever had known. He had
told her to stay a week. A week! It would be an eternity! There alone
again! Could he bear it? He got through to mid-afternoon some way, and
then in jealous fear and foreboding he became almost frantic. One way
or the other, this thing must be settled. Fiercer raged the storm
within him and at last toward evening it became unendurable.

At its height the curling smoke from the chimney told him that Mary had
come home. An unreasoning joy seized him. He went to the barn and
listened. He could hear her moving about preparing supper. As he
watched she came to the well for water and before she returned to the
cabin she stood looking over the fields as if trying to locate him.
Dannie's blood ran hotly and