Part 7 (1/2)
”It's from Denis!” cried Mrs Quirk ”Denis, that I believed was dead!
Call Mr Quirk, ood, to an undeserving old woardens and found Mr Quirk, spade in hand, busily instructing a raw recruit hoork
”There's no art in it,” he remarked contemptuously ”'Tis merely a matter of muscle You won't do for -room,” said Kathleen
”Wants me? And what for?” he asked
”She has a letter frohed contemptuously But he paused in his work to reply
”My only son is dead these ten years Is she nantly ”I opened the letter myself, and it is from your son”
”I will coabond that is playing a trick on her,” growled Samuel Quirk ”Here,” he cried to the labourer, ”take the spade, and let me see what you can do”
Kathleen was always annoyed by the old nised the fact, and was secretly areater intolerance and disrespect before the girl, just to increase her indignation Now, as she moved away, the picture of resent to expose the scamp She is too soft Every idle fellowthe opened letter upside down, vainly atte, while the tears of joy dropped froes
”Mr Quirk does not believe it is from your son,” said Kathleen
”Who but Denis would callthat to annoy you; don't be taking too much notice of hiain”
”I have prospered andhome to look after you and the father Prepare to pack up and cowood I have been wanting all these years to have the old mother, who sacrificed herself for me, beside me”
”And why not sacrifice ood Didn'tthe good priest's Mass! It was Father Healy's hi about the Faith?” asked Mrs Quirk
”I shall buy a fine home, with the church not half a mile away You can wood,” read Kathleen
Samuel Quirkthe most determined incredulity it could assu it from Kathleen
”Could Denis write like this?” he asked
”And who better?” cried Mrs Quirk ”Wasn't he the smartest boy at school? Do you remember the day he won all those prizes?”
A smile of pride overspread the old man's face for oneit is some scamp that has heard how soft you are,” he remarked, as he read the letter ”Hem! I wonder how much money that will be? And ill he be here?”
As if in answer to his question, the sound of wheels was heard on the avenue Mrs Quirk flew to the hile the old man followed more sedately
”It is himself!” cried Mrs Quirk ”Let me be the first to bid him welcome”
She almost ran to the front door in her excite arms of a man around her