uld," said Mary, with a spice of doubt.

"I do. And now go, wife, and remember to shut the door after you. Oh,
and tell that woman in the kitchen to stop singing. Her false notes
drive me crazy.--How many are there, this morning?"

"Eight--no, nine, if that's another," replied Mary, with an ear to the
front door.

"Tch! I'll have to stop then," and Mahony clapped to the work he had
been consulting. "Never a minute to keep abreast of the times." But:
"That's a good, helpful wife," as Mary stooped to kiss him. "Do the
best you can, mavourneen, and never mind me."

"Take me with you, Auntie!" Trotty sprang up from her stool,
overturning babe and cradle.

"Not to-day, darling. Besides, why are you here? You know I've
forbidden you to be on the front verandah when the patients come. Run
away to the back, and play there."

Mary donned hat and shawl, opened her parasol and went out into the
sun. With the years she had developed into rather a stately young
woman: she held her head high and walked with a firm, free step.

Her first visit was to the stable to find Long Jim--or Old Jim as they
now called him; for he was nearing the sixties. The notice to leave,
which he had given the day before, was one of the "trifles" it fell to
her to consider. Personally Mary thought his going would be no great
loss: he knew nothing about a garden, yet resented instruction; and it
had always been necessary to get outside help in for the horses. If he
went they could engage some one who would combine the posts. But
Richard had taken umbrage at the old man's tone; had even been
nervously upset over it. It behoved her to find out what the matter was.

"I want a change," said Old Jim dourly in response to her inquiry; and
went on polishing wheel-spokes, and making the wheel fly. "I've bin
'ere too long. An' now I've got a bit o' brass together, an' am
thinkin' I'd like to be me own master for a spell."

"But at your age, Jim, is it wise?--to throw up a comfortable home,
just because you've laid a little past?"

"It's enough to keep me. I turned over between four and five 'undred
last week in 'Piecrusts.'"

"Oh!" said Mary, taken by surprise. "Then that--that's your only reason
for wishing to leave?" And as he did not reply, but went on swishing:
"Come, Jim, if you've anything on your mind, say it out. The doctor
didn't like the way you spoke to him last night."

At this the old man straightened his back, took a straw from between
hi