e had been parched for the Atlantic rain-storms and the humid
atmosphere of Western Ireland?

It was a relief that the duck-shooting had begun with the frost: that
there was rough shooting in the other days to keep the men out of
doors. Major Evelyn and another man, a cheerful little blonde boy
named Earnshaw, had got a few days leave from the Curragh. Their
presence imposed a certain restraint upon Terry in regard to his
love-making--otherwise it must have been obvious even to his father,
despite that growing absent-mindedness which enfolded Shawn O'Gara like
a mist.

Eileen seemed happy once again. Lady O'Gara began to reproach herself;
doubtless Castle Talbot in Winter was a lonesome place for the young.
Young Earnshaw was obviously epris with Stella, while Major Evelyn, a
big, laughing brown man, attached himself to Eileen.

Eileen, despite her dislike of the sound of a shot,--she would clap her
hands over her pretty ears, with their swinging hoops of turquoise,
whenever a gun was fired,--went out with the guns when they shot the
last of the pheasants, she at least managed to accompany the lunch. In
the evenings she sang to the tired happy men--her Irish songs, while
Major Evelyn watched her, an admiring light in his brown eyes. He was
half-Irish, and the sentiment of the songs appealed to him. Night
after night Eileen went through her little repertoire, charming with
her soft, veiled voice, and Sir Shawn was drawn in from his office to
listen with the others. Only occasionally Stella put in an appearance,
which was as well in the circumstances, Terry was so taken up attending
to all possible needs of his C.O., and wondering ingenuously why Evelyn
had done him the honour to come, that he bore the deprivation imposed
upon him by Mrs. Comerford better than he might otherwise have done.

When she should be alone again with Shawn she would tell him, Lady
O'Gara said to herself. She had surprisingly few moments alone with
him these days. A few days more and the house would have settled down
quietly once more. She would be passing Terry's room, with the door
standing open revealing its emptiness, as she had had to do many times,
always missing the boy sadly.

One of these days Eileen went out alone with the lunch while Stella
came to the meal at Castle Talbot. Sir Shawn was absent. Lady O'Gara
had ordered a specially dainty lunch such as a young girl would like.
She loved to give Stella pleasure, and to d