Seven Miles to Arden

gged lot of prospects and stood them in a row before her for contemplation, comparison, and a final choice. They strongly resembled the contents of her steamer trunk, held at a respectable

hed to see her before she left, and the staff at that

Hospital knew of Patsy was precisely what the American public and press knew, what the National Players knew, what the world at large knew-precisely what Patricia O'Connell had chosen to tell-nothing more, nothing less. They

illarney rose-bush that happened to be growing by the Brittany coast. They say I was found by the Physician to the King, who was traveling past, and that's how it comes I can speak French and King's English equally pure; although I'm not denying I prefer them both with

rken back to Adam the same as yourselves; but if it's some one more modern you're asking for-there's that rascal, Dan O'Connell. He's too long dead to deny any claim I might put on him, so devil

as for a church, there's not a place that goes by the name-synagogue, meeting-house, or cathedral-that I can't be finding a wee bit of God waiting inside for me. But

unspoiled, and charming, and that she had played the ingénue parts with the National Players, revealing an art that promised a good future, shou

re they had played half their bookings. Their final curtain went down on a bit of serio-comic drama staged, impromptu, on a North River dock, with barely enough cash in hand to pay the company's home pas

Desire; she had sat beside the bier in "The Riders to the Sea"; she had laughed through "The Full o' Moon," and played the Fool while the Wise Man died. The nurses and doctors had listened with open-eyed w

, with no prospects in the booking agencies until August. In the mean time she had eight dollar

ing paid for their services. If the public-who paid two dollars a seat for a performance-failed to appear, and box-office receipts failed to margin their salaries, it was their misfortune, no

the facts that no one had come to see Patsy and that no communications had reached her from anywhere. It looked to them as if Patsy were down and out, to state it baldly. Now the Patsys that come to free

r until she gets on her feet again, understand"-and the old doctor tapped the

Patsy still sat obediently on the edge of her cot, pulling

from the woman in the next bed, who had b

" And Patsy smiled back at her a

bout somethin' else but pains and troubles. It'll seem awful lones

iction. "They'll be fetching in some one a g

'twill be anoth

finger and looked fearsomely over

gled black hair and a swarthy skin. Patsy rose and went softly over to th

sure-Mother Mary has it safe-and she's keeping it for ye." She stooped and br

atsy laughed the laugh that had made her famous from

nd out just where you're going after y

I don't mind telling ye all, confidentially, that I haven't my mind made yet be

pigeon-"you'll have to give us a sensible answer before we let you go one step. You know you can'

an she had intended. Those humiliating eight dollars, seventy-six cents, and the crooked sixpence seemed to be scor

like a parcel of old mother hens that have just hatched out a brood o' wild turkeys!" She suddenly checked her Irish-it was apt to lead her into compromising

to see you, then?" aske

'd never make a press agent-or a doc

of yours are what we professional people term hypoth

crowd right here; but-well, you know how it is; if you are a bit down on your luck you keep away from your own world, if you can. There is a girl-just about my own age-in society here. We did a lot for her in the way of giving her a good time when she was in Dublin, and I've seen her quite a

if you will promise to come back if-if no one's at home. It's against

she went through the door. "I don't know where I'm going or what I shall be

her down the corri

dmiration working out to the surface. "When

octor took on its habitual tartness.

into a blaze of June sunshine. "Holy Saint Patrick! but it feels good.

pital and her eyes grew as blue and soft as the waters of Killarn