The Black Moth

sp; My lord shook his head.

"No, thank you!"

"Yes, yes! And later on you could choose a wife!" she continuedaudaciously.

"Not at all. There would be no choice; I should be made to marry thedear old woman. You would bully me into it."

She laughed.

"Seriously, Jack, could you not settle down near here?"

"Not with that old woman, Molly."

"Never mind her; won't you consider it? No one need know you--in fact,you need see no one--and--oh, Jack! don't look like that. Miles, is henot ridiculous?"

"Sure, alanna, 'tis a dreary life he'd be leading," chuckled O'Hara.

"I see what it is, Molly. You have planned to make me a recluse, _and_to marry me to my housekeeper. I protest, 'tis great ill-usage!"

Molly eyed him doubtfully.

"Would you _much_ object to the life, John?"

"Madam," he replied solemnly, "you would find my corpse in the garden atthe end of the first week."

"Of course I should not like that," she pondered. "But I do not see whatelse we can do for you. Oh, and that reminds me! I drove over toLittledean yesterday--Miles, my love, will you be so kind as to fetch memy hat? I protest, the sun--"

"We will move more into the shade," said her disobliging husband.

"Oh, well! 'tis of no account, though I did hear that Brown was wantingto speak to you about the new cob--"

"'Tis prodigious thoughtful of you, Molly, but I met Brown some timeago."

Lady O'Hara gave it up.

"Well, as I was saying, Jack, I went to call at Horton House. Dear me,what a beautiful girl Diana is, to be sure!"

Carstares tried to think of something to say, and failing, made anon-committal sound.

"Yes. They both sent their kind wishes, and hoped you were better.Goodness! 'tis very close here. I wonder if you will give me your armround the garden? And would _you_ fetch me my hat? I left it in thehall, I think. Thank you very much!"

She waited until he was out of earshot before she turned to her husband.

"Now, Miles, you must please to stay where you are. I am not going to doanything indiscreet."

"Molly, I can't have ye worry him--"

"No such thing! I am going to coax him to stay here instead of goingabroad. I feel sure that if we can but persuade him to stay, somethingwill happen."

"What will happen?"

"Something!"

"How do ye know?"

"I don't know; I only feel it."

"Very well, asthore. If you can tease Jack into staying, I'll bless ye."