Love of Brothers

before," said Patsy, turning

he child was like her, not like the ruffian who had just set off in the direction of Conneely's Hotel. A pretty boy, with soft, pale silken hai

" said the woman. She w

en in these p

urt him, that she trembled. She was tired and hungry, pe

r of the house. "You are tired, my poor girl. I've put the kettle on. It'l

giving a meal to the tramping woman and her child. He brought out a little cloth

n. "I was a servant in a good house b

or tea rather than a less troublesome arrangement within doors. Perhaps he had an instinctiv

ionate tenderness. "He's too little, so he is," she addressed Patsy Kenny,

and

hey're sold we buy more. We had a donkey-cart, but ... we ha

our hu

e doesn't hold with a

d such a rage of anger? He had felt the like before for an ill-treated animal. Ill-t

cans. A little away lay another heap. He stooped. There was a contrivance, something like a yoke for the shoulders, to which the cans were att

"'Tis too much for you, let alone t

we come to a village," she said, nodd

laid eggs and put them on to boil. The child sat in the shade: Patsy had found him a chair, made of ropes of straw, to rest on instead of the cold stone. He sat in a relaxed way as though all

ce of domesticity. The creature was very gentle, he said to himself, and she was decent. Her poor clothes were tidy, and the boy's likewise. Their boo

le yard to itself off the stable-yard proper. In the middle was a bed in which there was a rose-

lay on her side with one brown eye fixed on her master. One of the big cats, which kept the stables free of rats and made company for the horses in winter, c

up for you before

doin' for myself

ooked down at the boy where he la

elor boy,"

that caused Patsy a curious interna

uld be a nice little place

rself and stood up. She

said. "Don't you trouble. It's a woman's work,

Otherwise he obeyed her. Better if that ruffian came back he should

lk. He too had not done so badly with the meal once he had begu

e he was touched by a woman, this poor, ill-clad, tramping woman, the wife of an evident scoundrel, touched to the heart for her and her child. The happy, pretty girls who had looked shy invitation at him had not appealed. They had, one by o

rhaps with such a person as Patsy Kenny compassion would serve for love always. "The creatures!" h

bout her beyond the broken boots, the hat which had obviously been under the weather, the poor clot

one so young," she said, and he noticed

ight to be carryin' all that tinker's stuff. That

r came to the

Georgie at school, but he always found us: I used to say my prayers to be delivered from him, but I never was: I don't sup

been at it?" Patsy

chool and came home of afternoons. It was a quiet, peaceful spot. Baker found me again. It wasn't the first time by many he dragged us out on the road. He sold all my clothes as well as takin' my savin's. He said there was mon

belongin' to you?" Pat

le. My parents are dead. When I took

and child after him, loading them with burdens they were not fit to carry. The creature knew no better than to yield to him. The Master was a magistrate

thoughts and saw that

ed and shiny. He wo

been enjoyin' of yourselves as I 'ave, subjec' to _re_strictions.

h for you," said Patsy, with a ligh

d the ruffian. "'Ere, you, Georgie! You wake up, y

pen hand on Mr. Baker's chest and pushed him backward. Somewhat contrary to his expectations the man did

a fancy for 'er I'd sell her for five quid an' throw in the kid. It's no catch draggin'

y gradually to Patsy's mind. He turned red and then pale. T

id Patsy quietly. "The w

think if you like. She n

y in the chair Geor

boss," he said: and

about that mys

ity which made the woman start. "Off with ye now. I'll come up with

said Patsy, and landed M

ds coming from his lips. Before anything could happen some one

a very neat blow just under the man's chin. "What is it

st the stone bench and subsided

e conduck to an 'armless man wo

terrible. Before he could grasp it another

r?" he asked. "Wh

y Kenny, who was watch

s lips blue. Was he il

o anything he recove

ss with me?" he

usiness an' was set upon by this yere man o' yourn somethink crool. I'd sack him

smooth darkness of his skin. Angina. That was what the doctor called it in the case of that other person. Had that mysterious, terrible disease laid hold on the Master? He had not

Terry, looking like a young god in co

awn said, quietly. "He on

d a bin shot but for me. Some gents will never learn 'ow 'to 'old their guns.

y kept asking himself the question. He looked after Sir Shawn and Mr. Baker as they went away in the direction of the house. Sir Shawn had an official ro

'Gara. "I wonder what amount of villainy lies between a ga

to the gate and looked out. The pots and pans and cans had disappeared. Down the

d by the noise Mustapha was

d. "I did hear she was bought by a man somewhere about Lewy mountain. The