st girl in the world."

"I believe you," said I, returning his handshake as cordially as he
had bestowed it.

"Hush!" he cried, jumping back into his seat again. "Let us all look
dejected. Hang your head, O'Ruddy!" and again the door opened, this
time the Countess leading Lady Mary, her long fingers grasping that
slim wrist.

"She gives her consent," snapped the Countess, as if she were
pronouncing sentence. I strode forward toward her, but Mary wrenched
her wrist free, slipped past me, and dropped at the feet of Father
Donovan, who had risen as she came in.

"Your blessing on me, dear Father," she cried, bowing her head, "and
pray on my behalf that there may be no more turbulence in my life."

The old father crossed his hands on her shapely head, and for a moment
or two it seemed as if he could not command his voice, and I saw the
tears fill his eyes. At last he said simply and solemnly:--

"May God bless you and yours, my dear daughter."

* * * * *

We were married by Father Donovan with pomp and ceremony in the chapel
of the old house, and in the same house I now pen the last words of
these memoirs, which I began at the request of Lady Mary herself, and
continued for the pleasure she expressed as they went on. If this
recital is disjointed in parts, it must be remembered I was always
more used to the sword than to the pen, and that it is difficult to
write with Patrick and little Mary and Terence and Kathleen and
Michael and Bridget and Donovan playing about me and asking questions,
but I would not have the darlings sent from the room for all the
writings there is in the world.

* * * * *

End of Project Gutenberg's The O'Ruddy, by Stephen Crane and Robert Barr

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