Part 25 (1/2)
”In Cork you shall be, if I have to perjure my soul to prove it!” cried Dr Marsh ”No man shall come near ”
CHAPTER XIV
”AND ONE OTHER!”
The Grey River was in flood It ca madly between the rocks where the channel was narrow, spreading out far and wide over the low-lyingwith it the trunks of trees and other debris snatched up along its course It had overflowed the lower bridge, and rendered it ie was threatened by the turbulent river
There had been storin, and rains all down the valley Froully a volume of clay-coloured water flowed into the ht and sunny after the rain The sunshi+ne glittered on the yellow surface of the strea upwards from it Viewed fro, sparkling a
Kathleen O'Connor had viewed the flood with concern On the further bank of the river was Mrs Sheridan's se fa on the share system
Kathleen knew that one of the children was seriously ill, and that thea brave face, would be seriously encumbered by Michael's sickness She feared, too, that the flood waters e, with disastrous results
”Shall I ride over and see how Mrs Sheridan is?” she asked, when the heavy rain had ceased, and sunshi+ne was raising a warm vapour from the sodden earth
”Why not?” replied Mrs Quirk ”It will do you good--and Sylvia, too”
Sylvia Jackson still remained at ”Layton” She had coht at Grey Town, because she was tired of the city But she had re herself to the inhabitants and to the routine of the house No one resented her presence, nor did anyone desire her departure, for she had made herself pleasant to all In Mrs Quirk's eyes she stood second only to Kathleen Saarded her as chief critic and adviser on the estate, and to Kathleen she was a cheerful,Denis Quirk's sentiirl he carefully concealed from the outside world, even from Sylvia herself He was polite and deferential, yet humorous, with her; but she would have liked hi her bodyguard She had given hi al visits to ”The Mercury” office, and playing drea pipe But Denis Quirk n
When Kathleen O'Connor proposed to ride round and see the Sheridans, Sylvia was painting She was an adept at every variety of artistic work
Of any of the arts she ht have made a success had she been content to devote her talent solely to that one; but she was too versatile to be co was perfect
”I would love to go with you,” she cried
”And I will e and ride home with you,” said Denis Quirk
In accordance with this arrangeirls rode towards Mrs
Sheridan's after breakfast Kathleen O'Connor was a perfect horsewoman
Sylvia Jackson, on the other hand, was unused to horses, and very nervous; but she was too proud to confess the fact Kathleen, while recognising Sylvia's lack of capacity was too charitable to comment upon it She had protested once, when her friend asked to be allowed to ride a rather high-spirited horse, but when Sylvia retorted hotly, Kathleen offered no further opposition Thus it came about that Sylvia rode in constant dread, and ety horse a thousand tie that crosses the Grey at Swynford is bordered by stretches of green grass Along this the two girls rode at an easy canter, saving when Dr Marsh's car rushed past, the doctor driving furiously, as was his way This incident upset Sylvia's horse for a considerable time, but he quietened down into an easy canter in the deserted bye-road that leads fro the farther bank of the Grey, to Mrs Sheridan's
At a rise in the road they paused to look down on the cottage It stood surrounded by pine trees, with a sarden around it It was a demonstration of Mrs Sheridan's perpetual industry that she found tiarden in order, despite her nuay colours she had arden
”The river has not done any harreat relief, as she viewed the flood waters, still several feet below the level of the garden
”Can you understand anyone living in such a poky, ramshackle little hovel?” asked Sylvia ”I would rather be dead and buried than live there”
”Mrs Sheridan cannot choose; she reat woate, clean, tidy, and talkative She was noted throughout the district for her loquacity, but, if she spoke at great length, she always spoke kindly
”Is it you, Miss O'Connor?” she cried ”Sure, it was like yourself to be thinking ofof you Only last Sunday I said to the boy, 'Miss Kathleen will be going to Mass,'
the which I couldn't do myself, and more is the pity; but when Dan was doith the chickenpox, Father Healy hiood man! told me it was my duty to be with Dan 'The Lord will excuse you from the chapel,' he said to me, 'and you can read the Mass to Dan' The which I did to Michael here, and hi to me as if he understood it all, every word But won't you co the house, lass ofyou, for I think it is putting temptation in the way of some that's too fond of it”
”Yes, ill coht have a cup of tea----”
”Not for me,” Sylvia whispered; ”I couldn't drink tea in a place like this”