Light O The Morning | Page 7

appeared on the steps of the front door.
"Hullo, O'Shanaghgan, is that yourself?" he called out. "How are you,
Mrs. O'Shanaghgan? Right glad to see you. You'll step inside--won't
you? I believe the wife is somewhere round. Neil, my man, go and look
for the missus. Tell her that Madam O'Shanaghgan is here, and the
Squire. Well, Nora, I suppose you are wanting a chat with Bridget?
You won't find her indoors this fine evening."
"Where is she, Mr. Murphy?" asked the girl. "I do want to have a talk
with her."
"Ah! what's the basket for?"
"I want her to give me some of the pretty brown eggs."
"Well, go right down there by the sea-path, and you'll find her, as likely
as not."
"Very well," answered Nora. Slinging her basket on her arm, she
started for her walk. As soon as she was out of sight she began to run.
Presently she stopped and began whistling "The Wearing of the Green,"
which was responded to in a moment by another voice, sweet as that of
a blackbird. She looked to right and left, and presently saw a pair of
laughing black eyes looking down at her from beneath the shelter of a
huge oak tree.
"Here I am. Will you climb up?" said the voice of Bridget Murphy.
"Give me a hand, and I'll be up with you in a moment," said Nora. She
tossed her basket on the ground; a very firm, little brown hand was
extended; and the next moment the girls were seated side by side on a
stout branch of the tree.
"Well, and what has brought you along here?" said Bridget.
"I came with father and mother in the dog-cart," replied Nora. "Father
let me drive Black Bess. I had a jolly time; but she did pull a bit--my
wrists are quite stiff."
"I am glad you have come," said the other girl. "I was having a concert
all by myself. I can imitate the thrush, the blackbird, and most of the
birds round here. Shall I do the thrush for you?"
Before Nora could speak she began imitating the full liquid notes of the
bird to perfection.
"I declare you have a genius for it," said Nora. "But how are you
yourself, Biddy?"
"What should ail me?" replied Biddy. "I never had a care nor a worry

nor a trouble yet; the day is long, and my heart is light. I am at peace,
and I never had an ache in my body yet. But what is up with you, Nora
alannah?"
"It's that mortgage, you know," said Nora, dropping her voice. "What is
your father going to do?"
"Oh, the mortgage," said Bridget. "Mr. Morgan came down from
Dublin yesterday; he and father had a long talk. I don't know. I believe
there's worry in the air, and when there is I always steer clear of it."
"Your father, you mean?"
"I can't tell you; don't question me. I am glad you have come. Can't you
stay for the night?"
"No, I can't. I must go back with father and mother. The fact is this,
Bridget, I believe your father would do anything in the world for you."
"I suppose he would. What do you want to coax out of me now? Oh,
Nora alannah! don't let us talk of worries. Come down to the sea with
me--won't you? I have found the most lovely cave. I mean to explore it
with lanterns. You go into the cave, and you can walk in nearly half a
mile; and then it takes a sudden turn to the right, and they say there's an
entrance into another cave, and just beyond that there's a ghost
supposed to be. Some people say it is the home of the O'Shanaghgans'
Banshee; but whatever it is, I mean to see all about it."
"Do you mean the Sea-Nymphs' Cave?" said Nora. "But you can only
get to that by crossing the bay."
"Yes. Well, I am going tomorrow night; the moon is at the full. You
will come over and go with me--won't you?"
"Oh! I wish I could."
"But why can't you? Don't let us worry about fathers and mothers.
We're a pair of girls, and must have our own larks. There's Neil and
there's Mike; they will get the boat all ready, and we can start off for
the cave just when the tide is high; we can only get in then. We'll run
the boat in as far as it will go, and we'll see what we'll see. You will
come--won't you, Nora?"
"I should like it of all things in the world," said Nora.
"Well, why not? You can come over tomorrow afternoon, and stay the
night here. Just say that I have