Page:Randall Parrish--My Lady of the South.djvu/310

MY LADY OF THE SOUTH wid the honest way of her, an' thim eyes a-lookin' sthraight at him. They're great divils, thim girls."

"But why did she do this? What object could she have had?"

He rubbed his sleeve across his mouth, leaning over the railing to where he could look the full length of the hall; then he straightened up, his face solemn as a preacher's.

"Begorra, at first I thought it was me manly beauty that did it. Damned av I did n't, sor, she was that foine to me, a-smoilin' beautiful, wid her broight oies lookin' stiiraight into moine. The Sergeant an' meself both got it in the neck. But afther a whoile I woke up from me dhrame; but sure i' it was sweet whoile it lasted."

"What is all this you're talking about, O'Brien? "

"About yourself, sor. Begorra, you was the wan the loidy was thinkin' about all the toime. Ivery wan of thim smoiles was on account of you. Divil a bit did the loikes of her care for aither the Sergeant or meself, so she got you out of here safe. Bedad, she about the same as tould me so wid her own rosy lips not tin minutes ago."

This knowledge of Jean's interest in me quickened my pulses, but I had no inclination to discuss such a matter with O'Brien, or to question him as to what she may have said in excitement. Indeed, at that moment I felt more anxiety to solve the haunting mystery of the house than to escape. I was afraid to depart leaving that insane, murderous woman at large. [ 292 ]