had
considered it all, though the reader may perhaps think that as a
minister of the gospel he had come to a strange conclusion. He himself,
in his own defence, would have said that having served many years in the
ministry he had learned to know the nature of men and women.

Mrs. O'Hara said not a word to Kate of the doctrines which the priest
had preached, but she found herself encouraged to mention their new
friend's name to the girl. During Fred's absence hardly a word had
been spoken concerning him in the cottage. Mrs. O'Hara had feared the
subject, and Kate had thought of him much too often to allow his name to
be on her tongue. But now as they sat after dinner over their peat fire
the mother began the subject. "Mr. Neville is to dine with Father Marty
on Thursday."

"Is he, mother?"

"Barney Morony was telling me that he was back at Ennis. Barney had to
go in and see him about the boat."

"He won't go boating such weather as this, mother?"

"It seems that he means it. The winds are not so high now as they were
in October, and the men understand well when the sea will be high."

"It is frightful to think of anybody being in one of those little boats
now." Kate ever since she had lived in these parts had seen the canoes
from Liscannor and Lahinch about in the bay, summer and winter, and had
never found anything dreadful in it before.

"I suppose he'll come up here again," said the mother; but to this Kate
made no answer. "He is to sleep at Father Marty's I fancy, and he can
hardly do that without paying us a visit."

"The days are short and he'll want all his time for the boating," said
Kate with a little pout.

"He'll find half-an-hour, I don't doubt. Shall you be glad to see him,
Kate?"

"I don't know, mother. One is glad almost to see any one up here. It's
as good as a treat when old Corcoran comes up with the turf."

"But Mr. Neville is not like old Corcoran, Kate."

"Not in the least, mother. I do like Mr. Neville better than Corcoran,
because you see with Corcoran the excitement is very soon over. And
Corcoran hasn't very much to say for himself."

"And Mr. Neville has?"

"He says a great deal more to you than he does to me, mother."

"I like him very much. I should like him very much indeed if there were
no danger in his coming."

"What danger?"

"That he should steal your heart away, my own, my darling, my child."
Then Kate, instead of answering, got up and threw herself at her
mother'