g!' said the younger, with a half-shamed laugh. 'I
don't trust women with too much; but if I had Grady's, I'd soon be a
richer man than they think me. Old Grady cut up for a lot of money,
and he was too old for business. It's a beautiful chance for a young
man.'

'Well, Patrick,' said the other at last, with a sigh, 'your share
won't buy Grady's, but yours and mine together will. I'll make it over
to you, and you can keep your share in the farm too. I'll work the
farm for you if you won't ask me to have anything to do with the shop.
Tut, tut, man!' he said, pushing away Patrick's secretly delighted
protests, 'all I have would come to you one day, and why not now, when
you think it will make you happy?'

So Patrick bought Grady's and brought home Janie Hyland. He has
prospered exceedingly, and makes the lavish display of his wealth
which is characteristic of the Irishman. They have added to the old
house, thrown out wings and annexe, planted it about with shrubberies,
and made a carriage drive. Young Patrick, growing up, is intended for
the University and one of the learned professions, and Mrs. Patrick
has ideas of a season in Dublin and invitations to the Castle. Her
house is very finely furnished, with heavy pile carpets and many
mirrors, and buhl and ormolu everywhere.

She feels her brother-in-law to be the one blot in all her splendour
and well-being. When Patrick first brought her home, she took a
vehement dislike to James, which has rather waxed than waned during
the years. He minds her as little as may be, working on the farm
during the day-time, and in the evening departing, with his slow,
heavy step, to his sanctum upstairs, where he has his books, his
carpenter's tools, and his telescope. Yet her words worry him like the
stinging of gnats, and the nagging of years has made him bitter.

He turns out delightful bits of carving and cabinet-making from time
to time, and he mends everything broken in the house with infinite
painstaking. Up there in his garret-room the troubles fall away from
him, and he forgets the lash of Mrs. Patrick's tongue. The hardest
thing is that she discourages the children's friendship for him, and
he would dearly love the children if only he might.

The other women are rather down on Mrs. Patrick about it; indeed, Mrs.
Gleeson told her one day that the creature was worth his keep if it
was only for his handiness about the house. Patrick has grown used to
his wife's gibes and fling