The Real Charlotte. 215 



The words drove heavily through the pain of Julia's 

 head, and their meaning followed at an interval. 



" Why would she give a fortune to the likes of her?" she 

 asked ; " isn't it what the people say, it's only for a charity 

 she has her here ? " 



Norry gave her own peculiar laugh of derision, a laugh 

 with a snort in it. 



"Sharity! It's Httle sharity ye'll get from that one! 

 Didn't I hear the old misthress teUin' her, and she sthretched 

 for death — and Miss Charlotte knows well I heard her say 

 it — 'Charlotte,' says she, and her knees, dhrawn up in the 

 bed, 'Francie must have her share.' And that was the 

 lasht word she spoke." Norry's large wild eyes roved sky- 

 wards out of the window as the scene rose before her. " God 

 rest her soul, 'tis she got the death aisy ! " 



'' That Charlotte Mullen may get it hard ! " said Julia 

 savagely. She got up, feeling new strength in her tired 

 limbs, though her head was reeling strangely, and she had 

 to grasp at the kitchen table to keep herself steady. 

 " I'll go on now. If I die for it I'll go to Bruff this 

 day." 



Norry dropped the onion she was peeling, and placed 

 herself between Julia and the door. 



*' The divil a toe will ye put out of this kitchen," she 

 said, flourishing her knife ; " is \\. you walk to Bruff?" 



" I must go to Bruff," said Julia again, almost mechani- 

 cally ; " but if you could give me a taste of sperrits, I think 

 I'd be better able for the road." 



Norry pulled open a drawer, and took from the back of 

 it a bottle containing a colourless liquid. 



" Drink this to your health ! " she said in Irish, giving 

 some in a mug to Julia ; " it's potheen I got from friends of 

 me own, back in Curraghduff." She put her hand into the 

 drawer again, and after a little search produced from the 

 centre of a bundle of amorphous rags a cardboard box 

 covered with shells. Julia heard, without heeding it, the 

 clink of money, and then three shillings were slapped down 

 on the table beside her. " Ye'll go to Conolly's now, and 

 get a car to dhrive ye," said Norry defiantly; " or howld on 

 till I send Bid Sal to get it for ye. Not a word out o' ye 

 now 1 Sure, don't I know well a pairson wouldn't think to 



