“Only for a little wile” ses he “joost to consillerate dad. He thinks” ses he smilling scornfully, “that I’m not in airnest darlint. He offers to put me to the test. He’s guv me his ward that he’ll put no obsticle in me parth if I’ll be gone for 6 months. Darlint” ses he “you kin wate that long for me. Otherwise I don’t see what we can do. I haven’t a red cent and we cuddent live on nothing.” But she still sobbed a bit aginst his coat, and she ses: “And Una Robbins is going too. Is she—are you ingaged to her?” ses she. “I’m ingaged to _you_” ses he so vylently that she larfed a bit, and then he tuk her hand and slipped a ring on wan of her fingies: “Its a cheep little thing” ses he “It was me mothers. When father gave it to her they was puir—puir as—er—Delia there—he a plane worker in a masheen shop and she a cuntry teecher.” Then he kissed the finger wid the ring on, and they put there arms aboot aich other and clung a bit thegither. “Goodbye my love!” ses he. “Goodbye Harry!” ses she. They seppyrated for a sicond and wint away aich from the uther. Thin they flew back to aich other and clung a bit again. And agin they seppyrated and she run tord the bastemint dure wid her hand to her throte like she was choking. She roon down the stares and I tuk her into me arms. She was shaking and trimbling like a child. Then we herd Mr. Harry’s voyse; “Claire!” he called and he cum down the stares. “Oh God!” ses he “I cant do it” ses he. And again they clung. They broke away agin, she pushing him along. “Goodbye” ses she. “Now go—before they cum” ses she. Then when he was gone she run up the stares and bolted the dure. I herd him at the other side, pooshing at it. “Claire! Claire! Claire!” he called, and she inside: “Harry! Harry! Oh my love!” ses she. “Goodbye, goodbye!” ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XXV TEN DAYS LATER “Good marning Delia” ses Mrs. Bang (the widdy acrost the strate) “Is anny wan at home?” “Oh yes mam” ses I, litting her in throo the fly dure. “Mr. John” ses I “is after shaving his face mam” ses I “Will ye wait till hes throo?” “Why anny of the family will do” ses she, flushing. “Ye’ll find Mr. Wolley” ses I “in the stable. Hes oondernathe the ortermobile as yushul. Mrs. Wolley is after taking her noonday syester, as Mr. James calls it and Miss Claire is in her room. Mr. James has gone to town. Mr. Billy is hilping his daddy.” “I’ll see Miss Wolley” ses she hortily. I wint oop to tell Miss Claire. She looked a bit poot out. “Wheres John?” she arsked at wanse. “Shaving miss” ses I.