ed his nervous jealousy with an ebullient
friendliness. It was his humour to have people know what an ordeal a
concert was to him. Therefore when he saw Mr. Duggan he went over to him
and asked:

"Are you in it too?"

"Yes," said Mr. Duggan.

Mr. Bell laughed at his fellow-sufferer, held out his hand and said:

"Shake!"

Mrs. Kearney passed by these two young men and went to the edge of the
screen to view the house. The seats were being filled up rapidly and a
pleasant noise circulated in the auditorium. She came back and spoke to
her husband privately. Their conversation was evidently about Kathleen
for they both glanced at her often as she stood chatting to one of her
Nationalist friends, Miss Healy, the contralto. An unknown solitary
woman with a pale face walked through the room. The women followed with
keen eyes the faded blue dress which was stretched upon a meagre body.
Someone said that she was Madam Glynn, the soprano.

"I wonder where did they dig her up," said Kathleen to Miss Healy. "I'm
sure I never heard of her."

Miss Healy had to smile. Mr. Holohan limped into the dressing-room
at that moment and the two young ladies asked him who was the unknown
woman. Mr. Holohan said that she was Madam Glynn from London. Madam
Glynn took her stand in a corner of the room, holding a roll of music
stiffly before her and from time to time changing the direction of her
startled gaze. The shadow took her faded dress into shelter but fell
revengefully into the little cup behind her collar-bone. The noise of
the hall became more audible. The first tenor and the baritone arrived
together. They were both well dressed, stout and complacent and they
brought a breath of opulence among the company.

Mrs. Kearney brought her daughter over to them, and talked to them
amiably. She wanted to be on good terms with them but, while she strove
to be polite, her eyes followed Mr. Holohan in his limping and devious
courses. As soon as she could she excused herself and went out after
him.

"Mr. Holohan, I want to speak to you for a moment," she said.

They went down to a discreet part of the corridor. Mrs Kearney asked
him when was her daughter going to be paid. Mr. Holohan said that Mr.
Fitzpatrick had charge of that. Mrs. Kearney said that she didn't know
anything about Mr. Fitzpatrick. Her daughter had signed a contract for
eight guineas and she would have to be paid. Mr. Holohan said that it
wasn't his business.

"Why isn'