the elder ladies, who had shaken
their heads and expressed the saddest doubts when young Phineas Finn
had first become a Parliament man. And though by degrees they had
been half brought round, having been driven to acknowledge that he
had been wonderfully successful as a Parliament man, still they
had continued to shake their heads among themselves, and to fear
something in the future,--until he appeared at his old home leading a
Cabinet Minister by the hand. There was such assurance in this that
even old Mrs. Callaghan, at the brewery, gave way, and began to say
all manner of good things, and to praise the doctor's luck in that he
had a son gifted with parts so excellent. There was a great desire to
see the Cabinet Minister in the flesh, to be with him when he ate and
drank, to watch the gait and countenance of the man, and to drink
water from this fountain of state lore which had been so wonderfully
brought among them by their young townsman. Mrs. Finn was aware that
it behoved her to be chary of her invitations, but the lady from the
brewery had said such good things of Mrs. Finn's black swan, that she
carried her point, and was invited to meet the Cabinet Minister at
dinner on the day after his arrival.

Mrs. Flood Jones and her daughter were invited also to be of the
party. When Phineas had been last at Killaloe, Mrs. Flood Jones,
as the reader may remember, had remained with her daughter at
Floodborough,--feeling it to be her duty to keep her daughter away
from the danger of an unrequited attachment. But it seemed that
her purpose was changed now, or that she no longer feared the
danger,--for both Mary and her mother were now again living in
Killaloe, and Mary was at the doctor's house as much as ever.

A day or two before the coming of the god and the demigod to the
little town, Barbara Finn and her friend had thus come to understand
each other as they walked along the Shannon side. "I am sure, my
dear, that he is engaged to nobody," said Barbara Finn.

"And I am sure, my dear," said Mary, "that I do not care whether he
is or is not."

"What do you mean, Mary?"

"I mean what I say. Why should I care? Five years ago I had a foolish
dream, and now I am awake again. Think how old I have got to be!"

"Yes;--you are twenty-three. What has that to do with it?"

"It has this to do with it;--that I am old enough to know better.
Mamma and I quite understand each other. She used to be angry with
him, but she has g