Val and I have done nothing but laugh all day long;" and she began kissing him too.
"'How happy could I be with either, Were t'other dear charmer away!'" broke out Scoutbush.

"What a pity it is now, that I should have two such sweet creatures making love to me, and can't marry either of them?
Why did ye go and be my father's daughters, mavourneen?
I'd have made a peeress of the one of ye, if ye'd had the sense to be anybody else's sisters." At which they all laughed, and laughed, and chattered broad Irish together as they used to do for fun in old Kilanbaggan Castle, before Lucia was a weary wife, and Valencia a worldly fine lady, and Scoutbush a rackety guardsman, breaking half of the ten commandments every week, rather from ignorance than vice.
"Well, I'm glad ye're pleased with me, asthore," said he at last to Lucia; "but I've done another little good deed, I flatter myself; for I've brought away the poor spalpeen of a priest, and have got him safe in the house." Valencia stopped short in her fun.
"Why, what have ye to say against that, Miss Val ?" "Why, won't he be a little in the way ?" said Valencia, not knowing what to say.
"Faith, he needn't trouble you; and I shall take very good care--I wonder when the supper is coming--that neither he nor any else troubles me.

But really," said he, in his natural voice, and with some feeling, "I was ashamed to go away and leave him there.

He would have died if we had.

He worked day and night.