d comfort came that way. But Shawn would not
discuss things thoroughly. He would only say that it was a pretty
kettle of fish; that he wished Grace Comerford had never come back,
that he wished they could send Terry somewhere out of harm's way. And
presently he fell asleep with his head against her shoulder. He had
had a hard day and a tiring one. Of late he had taken to dropping
asleep in the evenings.

She let him sleep, remaining as motionless as she could so as not to
disturb him. When he awoke he was full of repentance. She had not
even had a book to solace her watch. That which she had been reading
was out of reach.

"You are the perfect woman, Mary," he said gratefully, "and I am an
unworthy fellow. I don't know how I came to be so sleepy. You make me
too comfortable."

Her face lit up. Shawn was often unreasonable in these latter days.
Indeed he had not been the easiest of men to live with since Terence
Comerford's tragic death. But when he was like this his wife thought
that all was worth while.

CHAPTER XXI

STELLA IS SICK

A few days passed by and Mrs. Wade had not returned. Mrs. Comerford
had written an icy message to Mary O'Gara.

"When Stella comes to her right mind this house is open to her. I have
said to my servants that she is with you. I was once a truthful woman."

Reading this brief epistle Mary O'Gara had said to herself that it was
lucky there was distance enough between Inch and Castle Talbot; also
that though _she_ considered herself a truthful woman there was nothing
she would not say in order to shield Stella from gossiping tongues.
She was bitterly angry with Grace Comerford for the cruel and evil
temper which had done so much hurt to an innocent thing.

"Does she think," she asked herself hotly, "that so easily Stella will
forget her cruelty? I do not believe the child will ever go back to
her."

She had written to Mary Benedicta about the case, giving her a cautious
account of poor Stella's plight, abstaining from mentioning Terence
Comerford's part in the story. She could have told that: she could not
write it. Mary Benedicta would think that Stella's trouble came from
the fictitious French father. There was little or no communication
between the nun and Mrs. Comerford, who had quarrelled with her over
her choice of a conventual life long ago.

Mary Benedicta had answered the letter with another full of the milk
and honey of a compassionate tendernes