Peg O' My Heart

e already made, and who in a large measure inherited much of his father's domin

s the old ma

oy all the tenets of business, morality and

beneath him, and an abiding reverence for law and order and fealty to the thro

she had the true Kingsnorth air. She had no disturbing "ideas": no yearning for things not of her station. She was co

local charities with grace and distinction-as became a Kingsnorth-and looked

sing barrister, connected with six county fam

de. The Chichesters had accumulated a fortune by

vides one with the necessities of life: a hearty handshake is

ost expensive of luxuries and its

s lawyers-one had even reached the distinction of bein

country in the House of Commons as we

man was

t daughter on her marriage and felt he had

aughter were distin

birth Angela unexpectedly

if the splendid blood of the family had

grew into delicate youth. None of the strict standards Kingsnorth had used so

s brought up at home. Tutors furnished her education. The winters she passed abroad with her mother. When her mother died she

r her sister. She avoided them and they her. They did

e frail so often do-was repulsed by those to whom aff

n overwhelming pity for all that were unhappy. To her God made the world beautiful: man was responsibl

mother's death that her attention was real

erpose in the settlement of the Irish difficulty. It was the one topic of conversation throughout dinner. And it was during that din

embrance of his speech on the previous nigh

er father for a few days s

nodded c

r's side Angel

r been in Ire

ld man sharply: "And, what is mo

ng about, the Irish

glish government does.

nything about the peo

coundrels, too lazy to work, and too dishonest t

t all y

ngrily at his daughter. The cross-

la w

that all you know

e for years anyone had dared use those two hated words "Ireland

check her, however, Ang

lord. To be the owner of an estate should be to act as the people's friend, thei

you learn all that, Miss?"

nterruption or the que

inence today in England that isn't filled by Irishmen? Think. Our Commander-in-Chief is Irish: our Lord High Admiral is Iris

to speak; Angela

passed or defeated by the Irish vote, and yet so blindly ignorant and obstinate is our insula

eaking the two most hated of all words at his own dinner table and in laudatory

you! How

tolerant smile as she looked fra

e. There is a nation living within a few hours' journey from our doors, yet millions of English people are as ignorant of them as if they lived in

ied her sist

-naturedly, leaned acr

has been reading the se

had taken the trouble to visit the country they were supposed to assist in governing. They told me that a co

eh?" snappe

s most bitter persecutor, until he visited the country. When he saw the wretchedness of her people he st

l. And what's more you had no right to listen to

y should have all the enlightenment and

our father," p

me back to us quite a revo

able," shout

was immaterial. She loathed tyranny and his method of shutting the mouths of those who disagreed with him was particularly obnoxious to her. It was also most ineffectual with her.

th made no absolute provision for her. She was to be dependent on Nathaniel. When the time came that she

iel allowed her to go with him to

t the Old Bailey on an important crim

and read and listened to. On every side she saw a kindly people borne down by the weight of poverty. Lives ruined

her to their hearts. She was of the hated Saxon race. What was she doing there, she, the sister of t

pposition to her brother's wish

gave them money to buy necessities and, with a promise to return the next day, she rode away. When within some little distance of her brother's hous

lf to her. It pulsed in her blood, and throbbed in her brain. For the first time she realised what a marvellous force was the Call of the P

. When the order to fire was gives she wanted to ride into their mids

a moment before had been full of life and strength: when was added to that the horror of t

ear and plunged forward, call

followed has al

owing with the ghastly mute-body on the rude litter, becam

as she found herself wondering if eke would ever hear his voice again or

ment Angela had dismounted and halted the soldiers. As

cession

riously. Sad looking men and weary women joined the procession wo

at the body on the litter and either ran away

was surprised. It seemed to Angela that an infinity of time had pas

o order a room to be prep

to meet her with knit brows and ster

asked, looking in amazement

ernment, Nathaniel," and she presse