"Will you go now?"
"I cannot! I have work. I will come early in the morning."
"You will till him ivirything?" she repeated.
"I will," promised Father Michael.
Mary went back to Mrs. Dolan's comforted. She was anxious to
return home at once, but at last consented to spend the day. Now
that she was sure Dannie did not know the truth, her heart warmed
toward him. She was anxious to comfort and help him in the long
struggle which she saw that he must have endured. By late
afternoon she could bear it no longer and started back to Rainbow
Bottom in time to prepare supper.
For the first hour after Mary had gone Dannie whistled to keep up
his courage. By the second he had no courage to keep. By the
third he was indulging in the worst fit of despondency he ever
had known. He had told her to stay a week. A week! It would be an
eternity! There alone again! Could he bear it? He got through to
mid- afternoon some way, and then in jealous fear and foreboding
he became almost frantic. One way or the other, this thing must
be settled. Fiercer raged the storm within him and at last toward
evening it became unendurable.
At its height the curling smoke from the chimney told him that
Mary had come home. An unreasoning joy seized him. He went to the
barn and listened.
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