again, Terence," his father
said.

"And a very good thing too, father, for a more tumble-down old
shanty I never was in."

"It was the abode of our race, Terence."

"Well, then, it says mighty little for our race, father."

"Ah! But it did not fall into the state you saw it in till my
father died, a year after I got my commission."

"I won't blame them, then; but, at any rate, I am glad I am coming
home to a house and not to a ruin.

"Ah, that is more like a home!" he said, as a turn of the road
brought them in sight of the building. "You have done wonders,
Mary. That is a house fit for any Irish gentleman to live in."

"It has been altered so that it can be added to, Terence; but, at
any rate, it is comfortable. As it was before, it made one feel
rheumatic to look at it."

On arriving at the house, Terence refused all assistance.

"I am going to be independent, as far as I can," he said and,
slipping down from the seat into the bottom of the chaise, he was
able to put his foot on to the ground and, by the aid of his
crutches, to get out and enter the house unaided.

"That is the old parlour, I think," he said, glancing into one of
the rooms.

"Yes. It is your father's snuggery, now. There is scarcely any
alteration there, and he can mess about as he likes with his guns
and fishing tackle and swords.

"This is the dining room, now."

And she led the way along a wide passage to the new part of the
house, where a bright fire was blazing in a handsome and
well-furnished room. An invalid's chair had been placed by the
fire, and opposite it was a large, cosy armchair.

"That is for your use, Major O'Grady," she said. "Now, Terence, you
are to lay yourself up in that chair. I will bring a small table to
your side, and put your dinner there."

"I will lie down until the dinner is ready, Mary. But I am
perfectly capable of sitting at the table. I did so the last week
before leaving the ship."

"You shall do that tomorrow. You may say what you like, but I can
see that you are very tired and, for today, you will take it easy.
I am going to be your nurse, and I can assure you that you will
have to obey orders. You have been in independent command quite
long enough."

"It is of no use, Terence; you must do as you are told," his father
said. "The only way to get on with this young woman is to let her
have her own way. I have given up opposing her, long ago; and you
will have to do the same."

Terence did n