in the child, and if we attempt . . ."

"What's that?"

In his anger and impatience my father could listen no longer and in his
loud voice he said:

"Since when has a father lost control of his own daughter? He has to
provide for her, hasn't he? If she wants anything it's to him she has to
look for it, isn't it? That's the law I guess, eh? Always has been, all
the world over. Then what's all this hustling about?"

My mother made a feeble effort to answer him.

"I was only saying, Daniel . . ."

"You were saying something foolish and stupid. I reckon a man can do
what he likes with his own, can't he? If this girl is my child and I say
she is to go somewhere, she is to go." And saying this my father brought
down his thick hand with a thump on to a table.

It was the first time he had laid claim to me, and perhaps that acted on
my mother, as she said, submissively:

"Very well, dear. _You_ know best what is best for Mary, and if you
say--you and Bridget and . . . and Father Dan. . . ."

"I do say, and that's enough. So just go to work and fix up this Convent
scheme without future notice. And hark here, let me see for the future
if a man can't have peace from these two-cent trifles for his important