46 THE SILVER FOX 



The hood of Mrs. Quin's blue cloak was 

 drawn over her face, a fact implying mystery 

 as well as tribulation. Slaney immediately 

 came to the conclusion that her husband's 

 will had not been satisfactory, and addressed 

 herself to the task of arriving at the object 

 of the visit with as little preamble as 

 possible. Nevertheless it was with much 

 circumlocution, and with many apprehensive 

 glances at the closed door, through which 

 was audible Uncle Charles' Scripture lesson 

 to the pantry-boy, that the widow Quin 

 finally delivered her soul. 



'* But whatever I cried afther Dan," she 

 said, after a lengthy exordium on the virtues 

 of the deceased, *' Tom have him cried out 

 an' out, an' indeed 'tis for I knowing the 

 wish you had always for Tom that I came 

 down throubling your honour. Sure yerself 

 knows he was always innocent like, and 

 when he was a child not a word out of him 

 the longest year ever came only talkin' of 

 God and the fairies, and the like o' that, and 

 that was no way for any poor crayture to 



