sked.

"I don't want to see Sylvia Custance again. The old life must die, Kath.
It seems rather hard, but it must be done. Make all arrangements like a
dear girl."

The next morning as they travelled towards Grey Town she recognised that
he had not slept well, but she made him comfortable with rugs and
cushions, and watched him drop into a quiet sleep. Denis Quirk, who had
insisted on accompanying them, brought them refreshments at every
possible opportunity and watched over them with untiring zeal. When they
arrived at Grey Town the "Layton" motor was waiting to carry them to the
Quirks' home. Here they found Mrs. Quirk, very enfeebled, but smiling a
glad welcome, and old Samuel Quirk, to greet them warmly.

"It is like home to me," cried Kathleen, as she kissed the kindly,
withered old face.

"And home it is, honey, when you are here; but it is a lonely home
without yourself and Denis," said Mrs. Quirk.

CHAPTER XXI.

THE BISHOP'S SOLUTION.

Denis Quirk, at Grey Town, threw away all thoughts of work, and laid
himself out to make the time pass pleasantly for Desmond and Kathleen
O'Connor. During his fortnight at "Layton" he was only in the town for
Mass on the two Sundays, and once when he paid a visit to Cairns at the
"Mercury" Office. That visit he curtailed to a brief fifteen minutes.

When he entered the old office, to find everything as he had left
it--the old faces, the same order, even his own room arranged as it had
been in his day--he felt that he could not stay for any length of time.
This was home to him, and he an exile.

"I had to see you," he said to Cairns, "but it breaks me up to visit the
old place."

"It is waiting for you, Quirk, and we miss you every day. When are you
coming back?" the editor asked.

"When I can thrust my innocence in the town's face--perhaps to-morrow,
possibly never," Denis answered.

"Nonsense! The scandal is dead and buried. We never realised what you
were until you had left us. We want your initiative, Quirk."

"It's very good of you to say that. Lord, how I miss you Cairns--you
and the old paper! The 'Freelance' is all right, but it never can be the
'Mercury.' And Grey Town, too! I love it for its very shortcomings,"
Denis replied.

He interviewed the staff, and parted after a few friendly words with
each. The remainder of his time in Grey Town was spent at "Layton" and
in the country around the town. His friends were invited to meet him at
dinner--F