“True for ye, boy! I wur talkin’ till young McGonagle yesterday, an’ it’s on the ticket he’ll be, agin ye, Kelly.” “D’yez tell me so! Faix, he’s soured on me because I wouldn’t take me milk from him, I think. But we’ll bate him, never fear. McQuirk an’ mesilf have bin among Murphy’s frinds an’ we’ll see till him, the spalpeen. McQuirk have got the most av thim jobs, an’ they can’t go back on him, faith!” “Good luck till yez, sure. I hope yez’ll have as much av it as mesilf.” “Ho! Ho! Faith an’ I thought yez wur in good timper this mornin’. What’s happened to yez, O’Hara?” “Nawthin’ till me, sure. Bud Rosie’s till marry young Murphy; an’ the money’ll be a foine t’ing--for her.” Kelly stared at him in dumb astonishment. O’Hara returned the look with great good humour. “Be the powers av Moll Kelly!” ejaculated the saloonkeeper, “but that bates all, yet! An’ is it so soon after Mary’s berryin’?” “Oh, they’ll wait a bit; it’s no hurry they’re in.” The side door swung open, admitting Mrs. Nolan, in a greasy wrapper, her face puffy with drink. “Good mornin’ till yez gintlemen,” to the nodding, grinning group at the table. “It’s takin’ Willie a-walkin’ I am, this foine mornin’.” As she spoke, Mrs. Nolan flourished a kettle in the air and then banged it down upon the bar. “Tin cints worth av mixed,” requested she. Kelly jerked the can under the spigot with professional dexterity and watched it, pondering. “I’ll be goin’, James,” said O’Hara. “Stop an’ have a sup on the house.” “Another toime. Faith, me business’ed suffer from two drinks av yez whisky.” The second-hand man departed and Kelly slid the filled can along the bar, the froth creaming down its sides. “I’ve had a surprise, Mrs. Nolan,” said he. “Small blame till yez, Kelly; arrah, it’s all the news yez hear as ye stan’ behind yez bar, so yez do!” “It will surprise ye, mam,” spoke Kelly solemnly. “Rosie O’Hara is till take up wid Larry!” “Is it marry him!” “Divil a ilce! Her father is jist after tellin’ me av it.” “Maybe she’s compelled till, faith!” “Eh!” “Faix, an’ the talk wint round about thim, long since, James. It’s sorry I’d be iv it wur true.” “God bless uz, Mrs. Nolan! An’ d’yez tell me this?” “I’m not sayin’ it’s true, moind ye. An’ did yez not hear av it?” “Sorra the word!” “What will young Larkin do now, at all, at all. He wur woild after her afore he wint away.” “So he wur, Mrs. Nolan,” agreed Kelly, a change suddenly creeping into his face; “so he wur, mam.” “Glory be! What’ll he do whin he hears av this? He’s got the divil in ’im whin his timper’s up, so he have.” “But he’s a frind av Larry’s.” “It’s on’y worse that’ed make it.” After Mrs. Nolan had gone, Kelly wiped the little puddles from the bar and ruminated. “He _have_ the divil in him,” muttered he. “Did I not see him, in this barroom, knock the padding out av t’ree av’ the ‘Chain Gang’ for callin’ his father an Orange bastard.”