Part 15 (1/2)

”Not looking for them, but quite prepared for theht?”

”I have not found ti editor, while Des with a broad s it It represents my policy, and the policy of this paper We call a spade a spade on 'The Mercury' Just read that speech, and then sit down and write about Caprice You canof Bailiff in the Hurdles at the same time If the stewards won't do their duty, 'The Mercury' will point it out to them”

In this manner was Gerard introduced to the policy of Denis Quirk and his paper He was, however, a s a situation when it was demonstrated to hian to read the accounts of their acts of brigandage with fear and tre; obsequious stewards beca acts of fraud, while threats were openly indulged in, and actions for libel suggested But Denis Quirk and his paper went on their prescribed course, regardless of threats, and awaiting libel actions that failed to come

There was no lack of exciteo about wearily, and sigh because there was nothing in the papers

There were times of stress and battle in the tohen Denis Quirk and ”The Mercury” fought with sloth, indifference, and vested interests; times when he was rarely at home with the old people, because he had s to do, to say, and to write about in the town

But Gerard dropped quietly into a position of family friend and confidential adviser at ”Layton” He was introduced by Denis Quirk, and, being a man of comparative leisure, it became his habit to spend a part of his leisure at the house, and to accompany Mrs Quirk and Kathleen O'Connor when they went out to find amusement To this Denis Quirk readily assented, for he wasthose who played Des the burden of stern responsibility, and someone had to look after Mrs Quirk and Kathleen Who could better do this than Gerard, a harmless and pleasant man in Denis Quirk's eyes?

This was the first male friendshi+p of Kathleen O'Connor Here was a man who told her the history of his lifetiments dropped here and there There is pleasure, entertainment, and pathos in every man's life, no matter who he may be Gerard had lived more adventurously than ly, one who had been liberally educated There werereminiscences, many sad incidents in his past, and he had a happyof such events

This is the manner in which love sometimes comes to man and woman, not, as it is often pictured, as a sudden passion, but slowly and in stages

Gerard loved easily and lightly; he had already had his grand passions, and the current of his life ran none the less pleasantly because of the to hi incident But ahitherto unknown She had laughed and flirted with boyish adirls do; but such events are mere ripples on the surface of passion The love and ads a vast upheaval of the depths of the ocean

There was at this time one person who cordially disliked Gerard, probably the only one in Grey Town This was Molly Healy, and she had great difficulty to find a reason for her antipathy to the sporting editor of ”The Mercury” After her firstwith Gerard, she expressed her sentiments to Kathleen O'Connor unreservedly, as was her way

”I couldn't bear to have that man near me,” she said

Kathleen was, in those days, perfectly unbiassed in her opinion of Gerard He was to her merely a new acquaintance, but she found hily, she asked:

”Why not?”

”He is too spick and span for ot no soul”

These sentiedly, and expressed on every occasion, to his face and behind his back As the roan to take possession of Kathleen, she found it hard not to resent Molly's criticism Mrs Quirk went so far as to scold Molly relentlessly for her expressions of dislike, but the girl only laughed at her:

”Sure, you are too young and innocent You don't know the wickedness there is in the world But I have been taking lessons froht in the town There's wickedness in Gerard's eye, and in his nose too”

Desmond O'Connor was a particular friend of his brother scribe, but the acquaintance was not for the boy's good Gerard taught hiamble for money that he could not afford to lose While these facts were unknown in the semi-retirement of ”Layton,”

they speedily came to Molly Healy's ears She acted with a customary impulse that was i on his way to ”The Mercury” office he was stopped by Molly

”Des of you?”

Desly, for he seldo wonderful?” he said

”So you should be ashamed of! Look there at old Mason”