-box.
There had been no third person present, and any possible amount of
lying would have been very easy to Madame Socani. Rachel was quick
enough, and could see at a moment all that lying could do against
her. "But he tried to kiss me," she would have had to say. Then she
could see how, with a shrug of his shoulders, her enemy would have
ruined her. From such a contest a man like Moss comes forth without
even a scratch that can injure him. But Rachel felt that she would
have been utterly annihilated. She must tell someone, but that
someone must be he whom she intended to marry.

And she, too, had not been quite prudent in all respects since she
had come to London. It had been whispered to her that a singer of
such pretensions should be brought to the theatre and carried home in
her private brougham. Therefore, she had spent more money than was
compatible with the assistance given to her father, and was something
in debt. It was indispensable to her that she should go on with her
engagement.

But she told her father that it was absolutely necessary that he
should go with her to the theatre every night that she sang. It
was but three nights a week, and the hours of her work were only
from eight till ten. He had, however, unfortunately made another
engagement for himself. There was a debating society, dramatic in
its manner of carrying on its business, at which three or four Irish
Home-Rulers were accustomed to argue among themselves, before a mixed
audience of Englishmen and Irishmen, as to the futility of English
government. Here Mr. O'Mahony was popular among the debaters, and was
paid for his services. Not many knew that the eloquent Irishman was
the father of the singer who, in truth, was achieving for herself a
grand reputation. But such was the case. A stop had been put upon his
lecturings at Galway; but no policeman in London seemed to be aware
that the Galway incendiary and the London debater were one and the
same person. So there came to him an opening for picking up a few
pounds towards their joint expenses.

"But why should you want me now, more than for the last fortnight?"
he said, contending for the use of his own time.

"Mr. Moss is disagreeable."

"Has he done anything new?" he asked.

"He is always doing things new--that is more beastly--one day than
the day before."

"He doesn't come and sing with you now at your own rooms."

"No; I have got through that, thank Heaven! To tell the truth,
fat