was
something. Your father left it with me before he died, and he said:
'Keep it always by you till you need it most. Don't use it till the
time comes when you can say, "I shall never need this money more than
I need it now."' So I have always kept it, and I have it now. That was
why I told you not to fear about the winter. It would have paid our
rent if all else had failed, and it would have taken us all through
the winter. But it's better that it should take us to the States. If
we stayed here and used the money, we'ld be as bad off in another
year. Kitty will be getting strong again there, and it'll be better
for all of us. The time that your father said has come; I'm sure we'll
never be needing the money that he left more than we're needing it
now. There's no more to be said; we'll go."

For a little while no more was said. John and Kitty gazed at the old
woman in wonder. The thing that they had thought about for so long,
and wished for as a happiness that could never be, was come to them.
And now it scarcely seemed a happiness; it was half a sorrow. Then
Ellen spoke: "Oh, Mrs. O'Brien, it was always you was the good
neighbor to us! It was always you was with us in joy and in sorrow!
What'll we ever do at all when you're gone and we're left here alone,
with none to be so kind to us as you've always been?"

And Peter said: "I was thinkin' that same. The Lord go wid you and
keep you, wherever you go, but it'll be the sad day for us when you go
away."

"Peter and Ellen," said the old woman "how could you think that we'ld
do a thing like that? You may be a fool sometimes, Peter, but you're
your father's son. Do you know what your father did for us, Peter?
When my John was dying with the fever, he sat and watched with him,
and brought him the water and the whey all night, and night after
night, when I was so worn out that I could watch no longer. He might
have taken the fever himself, and he might have died with it, and he
did take it, but the Lord spared his life for a while after that,
Heaven rest his soul! And another thing that John said to me before he
died was this: 'As long as you have a bit to eat or a drop to drink or
a penny to buy, never let Tom Sullivan or any of his want more than
you want yourself.'

"And so, Peter and Ellen, when we go to the States, you'll both go
too. There's enough of the money to take us all there. If you're ever
able to pay it back, you can do it, if you like; but if not, we'll