do ye get this gyurl friend
thing, anyway?"

But Angus could not tell. He had put his own construction on Faith
Winton's words. At any rate Mrs. Foley seemed a capable companion.

"Well, I hope you'll like it here," he said. "It may be a little lonely,
but there's nothing to be afraid of. Bears seldom come down on the
benchlands now, and there are no hoboes worse than I am."

"Afraid, is ut?" Mrs. Foley snorted. "An' wud I that has lived wid four
men be afraid iv a bear? I am not even afeard iv a mouse. Anyways, for
bears an' bos they's a dog."

"I thought I heard him whining when I came to the front door."

"Whining?" Mrs. Foley ejaculated.

"Well, sort of moaning as if he was scratching a sore ear. And then he
howled."

"Howled!" Mrs. Foley cried. "Th' nerve iv ye!"

"What's the matter?" Angus asked. "It sounded like a lonesome pup to
me."

"Did ut, indade!" snorted Mrs. Foley. "Ye big, on-mannerly blackgyard,
that was me, singin'!"

"Singing?" Angus gasped.

"Singin'," Mrs. Foley repeated firmly. "An' a sweet song, too, a rale
Irish song. Color blind in th' ears, ye are, ye long lummix! May th'
divil--But phwat's the use? Th' ign'rance iv ye is curse enough!"

"What's the matter, Mary?" Faith Winton's voice asked from the door.
"You're not quarrelling with Angus Mackay, I hope."

"I wud not lower mesilf!" Mrs. Foley replied loftily, "though he said me
singin' was like the howlin's iv a purp."

"No, no," Angus protested, "I didn't mean that. I heard your singing,
too, and it was fine."

"Yez may be a willin' liar, but yer work is coorse," Mrs. Foley informed
him. "Well, I do not set up f'r to be wan iv thim divas. I can raise th'
keen fine over a corpse, but me singin' is privut an' so intended. So I
forgive ye, young man, more be token I can see it's herself thinks it's
a joke on the old gyurl. For shame, Miss Faith! An' me that's crooned ye
in yer cradle many's the long night!"

But there was a twinkle in Mrs. Foley's blue eyes, and Angus began to
suspect that her bark was much worse than her bite.

"Mary was my nurse," Faith told him when they were seated in the living
room. "She really thinks the world of me, spoils me--and bullies me. But
what do you think of my humble home? You haven't seen it since it was
finished."

Angus approved the room and its furnishings. There was space to move,
and a fireplace. The chairs were comfortable and strong; there was a
spacious couch, a well-filled book