to console and re-assure poor Anty, but they did not find the task an
easy one. "Oh, Mrs Kelly," she said, as soon as she was able to say
anything, "I'm sorry I iver come here, I am: I'm sorry I iver set my
foot in the house!"

"Don't say so, Anty, dear," said the widow. "What'd you be sorry
for--an't it the best place for you?"

"Oh! but to think that I'd bring all these throubles on you! Betther
be up there, and bear it all, than bring you and yours into law, and
sorrow, and expense. Only I couldn't find the words in my throat to
say it, I'd 've tould the man that I'd 've gone back at once. I wish
I had--indeed, Mrs Kelly, I wish I had."

"Why, Anty," said Martin, "you an't fool enough to believe what Daly's
been saying? Shure all he's afther is to frighthen you out of this.
Never fear: Barry can't hurt us a halfporth, though no doubt he's
willing enough, av' he had the way."

"I wish I was in a convent, this moment," said Anty. "Oh! I wish I'd
done as father asked me long since. Av' the walls of a convent was
around me, I'd niver know what throubles was."

"No more you shan't now," said Martin: "Who's to hurt you? Come, Anty,
look up; there's nothing in all this to vex you."

But neither son nor mother were able to soothe the poor young woman.
The very presence of an attorney was awful to her; and all the jargon
which Daly had used, of juries, judges, trials, and notices, had
sounded terribly in her ears. The very names of such things were to