shall
tell her that we do not feel like leaving her behind, and yet we
ourselves cannot be detained in Dublin indefinitely; that we will try
the arrangement for a month, and that she can consider herself free to
leave us at any time on a week's notice."

"I approve of that," agreed Francesca, "because it makes it easier to
dismiss her in case she turns out to be a Massachusetts Borgia. You
remember, however, that we bore with the vapours and vagaries, the sighs
and moans of Jane Grieve in Pettybaw, all those weeks, and not one of us
had the courage to throw off her yoke. Never shall I forget her at your
wedding, Penelope; the teardrop glistened in her eye as usual; I think
it is glued there! Ronald was sympathetic, because he fancied she was
weeping for the loss of you, but on inquiry it transpired that she was
thinking of a marriage in that 'won'erfu' fine family in Glasgy,'
with whose charms she had made us all too familiar. She asked to be
remembered when I began my own housekeeping, and I told her truthfully
that she was not a person who could be forgotten; I repressed my feeling
that she is too tearful for a Highland village where it rains most
of the year, also my conviction that Ronald's parish would chasten me
sufficiently without her aid."

I did as Salemina wished, and had a conference with Miss Dusenberry. I
hope I was quite clear in my stipulations as to the perfect freedom
of the four contracting parties. I know I intended to be, and I was
embarrassed to see Francesca and Salemina exchange glances next day when
Benella said she would show us what a good sailor she could be, on the
return voyage to America, adding that she thought a person would be much
less liable to sea-sickness when travelling in the first cabin.

Chapter V. The Wearing of the Green.

'Sir Knight, I feel not the least alarm,
No son of Erin will offer me harm--
For tho' they love woman and golden store,
Sir Knight, they love honour and virtue more!'
Thomas Moore.

"This is an anniversary," said Salemina, coming into the sitting-room at
breakfast-time with a book under her arm. "Having given up all hope of
any one's waking in this hotel, which, before nine in the morning, is
precisely like the Sleeping Beauty's castle, I dressed and determined to
look up Brian Boru."

"From all that I can recall of him he was not a person to meet before
breakfast," yawned Francesca; "stil