"Has he said nothing to you?" gravely inquired the priest.
"No, he hasn't and I don't belave he intinds to," answered Mary,
wiping her eyes and trying to be composed. "There is something
about Jimmy that is holding him back. Mrs. Dolan thought you'd
help me."
"What do you want me to do, Mary?" asked Father Michael.
"Two things," answered Mary promptly. "I want you to tell me what
Jimmy confissed to you before he died, and then I want you to
talk to Dannie and show him that he is free from any promise that
Jimmy might have got out of him. Will you?"
"A dying confession--" began the priest.
"Yes, but I know--" broke in Mary. "I saw them fight, and I heard
Jimmy till Dannie that he'd lied to him to separate us, but he
turned right around and took it back and I knew Dannie belaved
him thin; but he can't after Jimmy confissed it again to both of
you."
"What do you mean by `saw them fight?'" Father Michael was
leaning toward Mary anxiously.
Mary told him.
"Then that is the explanation to the whole thing," said the
priest. "Dannie did believe Jimmy when he took it back, and he
died before he could repeat to Dannie what he had told me. And I
have had the feeling that Dannie thought himself in a way to
blame for Jimmy's death.
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