“Troth, Malachi, it’s well enough ye shud know, avic. I niver, since Gawd made me, see any wan stand so in their own loight as she.” He wrinkled his brows, his round little eyes snapping angrily. Going to the stairs he called: “Rosie! D’yez hear me? Come down here, this minyute!” “Talk till her, Malachi,” urged Ellen. “Show yez authority,” approved Bridget; “are ye not her father, faith!” Rosie descended into the kitchen, slowly; her face was flushed, her eyes were red and swollen. “Will ye tell me the manin’ av this?” demanded her father. She sat down, not answering; and he continued: “Yez hay bin cryin’ agin! Will yez not give over?” “I can’t help it,” said the girl. “You’re all against me and I can’t help it.” “Is it thinkin’ av young Larkin yez are!” exclaimed Ellen. “Shame on ye, Rosie!” “Wud yez hav a black sin on yez sowl?” cried Bridget. “An’ wud ye break yez promis till the dead? Glory be! Bud the young wans now-a-days t’ink nawthin’ av the hereafter.” “I can’t marry Larry,” sobbed Rosie, “I don’t like him--not that way. And then I’ve promised Jimmie!” “Powers above!” gasped Bridget. “The son av a ‘Know Nawthin’,” cried Ellen in horror. “Did yez iver witness the bate av that?” “Hold yez tongues!” snapped their brother, “sure a body can’t git in a word edgeways for yez cacklin’. Listen till me, Rosie; did ye not promise Mary, an’ she a-dyin’, that yez wud be Larry’s wife? Answer me that.” “I didn’t know what I was a-sayin’,” protested Rosie; “I was so took back and frightened!” “Divil a bit do that alter the case! Ye promised, an’ it howlds good in the soight av God!” “An’ the blessed can’ls burnin’ in the room!” cried Ellen. “An’ she jist after bein’ anointed!” added Bridget. “Will yez howld yes whist!” exclaimed O’Hara, enraged. “Faix, yez tongues do be goin’ from Monday mornin’ till Saturday noight, an’ divil raysave the voice kin be heerd bud yez own!” “She’s yez own choild, Malachi,” admitted Ellen, as though to wash her hands of the whole affair. “Talk till her, an’ good luck!” muttered her sister. “I will iv yez giv me a chance.” And O’Hara once more turned to his sobbing daughter and proceeded with his arguments.