Light O' The Morning

eld. The crop here was not particularly good. The hay had been spoiled by rains, which had soaked down on the lands a fortnight ag

apital farmer. He had the best interests of the land at heart, and did his utmo

yet-and yet, colleen, it's about the sweetest bit of earth in all God's world. I wouldn't give O'Sh

y it, father? H

, where everything is cut and dry, and no one ever thinks of managing anything but by the rule of three, would take to our wild ways. But there, Norrie, it's the freedom of the life that suits me; w

"won't you tell me

am worried about

ayfully. She turned and faced him. "I know," she s

ove her. She was wont to sun herself in his smile, and to look to him always as a sure refuge in any perplexity. She did not love anyone in the whole world as she love

d. "Something is troubling

ng! what would I do withou

e," said Nora, "and tel

ould it would be a relief to unburden my mind. But y

eventeen; and I have not lived at O'Shanaghgan all my life for no

t breath of the pure Atlantic breezes. "What a place it is! Look at the beauty of it! Look round, Norrie, and see for yourself; the mountains over there; and the water rolling up almost to our doors; and the grand roar of the waves in our ears; and

at him; she was feeling the exposure and excitement of

u, colleen?" he said. "Are you

ctly well, father.

en I came in for the estat

that mean

and he mortgaged some of the outer fields and Knock Robin Farm-the best farm on the whole estate; but I didn't think anything of that. I thought I could redeem it; but somehow, child, somehow rents have been going down; the poor folk can't pay, and I'm the last to press them; and things have got worse and worse. I had a tight time of it five years ago; I was al

h has told me of the fa

some of the place, a good bit, to my old friend Dan Murphy. He lent me ten thousand pounds-not a penny more, I assure you. It just tided me over, and I thou

y; now he stopped, dropped Nora's

urphy," he said, dropping his voice, "so very ea

e of fear. "You said these words b

Murphy's lawyer in Dublin, to say that the mo

father. Wh

ion, child-ta

ssion-possession of the land you have mortgaged. Does t

idn't pay up the whole ten thousand, with the five years' interest, they'd foreclose. I hadn't paid that, Nora; I hadn't paid a penny of it; and what with interest and compound interest, it mounted to a good round sum. Dan charged me six pe

fore yesterday to see Squire Murphy. Of course, he'll give you t

he Squire. "I don't

will you d

nd I don't quite see my way. But I am sure to, be

, father? Must you really

n't, not just now; but I w

say, father? I

that he had sold my mortgage to another man, and had got money on it; and the other man-he is an Englishman, curs

ra; "O'Shanaghgan-he

; he wants the land,

"You have not-oh! you hav

fore him again, were born in, and that I was born in-it goes, and the land goes, the lake yonder, all these fields, and the bit of the

er eyes, and scalded her with cruel pain; but she would not allow one of them to flow. She held her h

somehow; we mu

a great sigh, as if a load were lifted from his heart. "Of course we'll manag

g until you give me leave. Bu

e to help me at a pinch like this. They would never see Patrick O'Shanaghgan deprived of his acres

u have only three months. Why

ght, colleen; but it'

do it, and you ough

ure-to b

ou, father; let

ounds this morning, and there are only forty now left in the bank. Oh, plenty to tide us for a bit. We shan't want to eat much; and there's a good supply of fruit and vegetables on the land; and the poor folk will wait for

uddenly, "there's one

is tha

ow Andy

ire's brow grew very black. "Yes, yes. What

ather,

dare not show his face here.

ng very much; "he-he does

thundered the Squire. "No more of t

pay the mortgage. Don't be cruel to him if you want to be

emented? The man pays his rent,

, dear

l go off to Dublin to-morrow. If Neil doesn't pay up his rent in a week, off he goes; it's men like And