“Arrah, noo, will ye niver be sinsible?  Here I’m offerin’ ye me heart, me loife.  I’d be glad to wourk for ye, and kape ye loike a leddy.  I’d be thrue to ye ivery day o’ me loife,—­an’ ye knows it, but ye jist goes on makin’ eyes at this wan an’ flirtin’ wid that wan an’ spakin’ swate to the t’other, an’ kapin’ all on the string till they can nayther ate nor slape nor be half the min they were till ye bewildered ’em.  Ye’re nothin’ but a giddy, light-minded, shallow crather, a spoilin’ min for your own fun.  I’ve kep’ company wid ye a year, and ye’ve jist blowed hot and cowld till I’m not meself any more, and have come nigh losin’ me place.  Noo, by St. Patrick, ye must show whether ye’re a woman or a heartless jade that will sind a man to the divil for sport.”

These words were poured out with the impetuosity of longsuffering endurance finally vanquished, and before the speaker had concluded Marian was on her way to the door, that she might not listen to a conversation of so delicate a nature.  But she did not pass beyond hearing before part of the reply reached her.

“Faix, an’ I’m no wourse than me young mistress.”

It was a chance arrow, but it went straight to the mark, aad when Marian reached her room her cheeks were aflame.

CHAPTER II.

A new acquaintance.

Gross matter can change form and character in a moment, when merely touched by the effective agent.  It is easy to imagine, therefore, how readily a woman’s quick mind might be influenced by a truth or a thought of practical and direct application.  All the homilies ever written, all the counsel of matrons and sages, could not have produced on Marian so deep an impression as was made by these few chance words.  They came as a commentary, not only on her past life, but on the past few hours.  Was it true, then, that she was no better than the coquettish maid, the Irish servant in the family’s employ?  Was she, with her education and accomplishments, her social position and natural gifts, acting on no higher plane, influenced by no worthier motives and no loftier ambition?  Was the ignorant girl justified in quoting her example in extenuation of a course that to a plain and equally ignorant man seemed unwomanly to the last degree?

Wherein was she better?  Wherein lay the difference between her and the maid?

She covered her hot face with her hands as the question took the form:  “Wherein am I worse?  Is not our principle of action the same, while I have greater power and have been crippling higher types of men, and giving them, for sport, an impulse towards the devil?  Fenton Lane has just gone from my side with trouble in his eyes.  He will not be himself to-morrow, not half the man he might be.  He left me in doubt and fear.  Could I do anything oppressed with doubt and fear?  He has set his heart on what can never be.  Could I have prevented