for the fraud of a wicked man. It was at this point that he needed
help. Would Mrs. Fitzpatrick permit him to send her money from time
to time which should be applied to the support of Paulina and the
children. He would also pay her for her trouble.

At this Mrs. Fitzpatrick, who had been listening impatiently for
some moments, broke forth upon him.

"Ye can kape yer money," she cried wrathfully. "What sort av a man
are ye, at all, at all, that ye sind yer helpless childer to a
strange land with a scut like that?"

"Paulina was an honest woman once," he interposed.

"An' what for," she continued wrathfully, "are ye lavin' thim now
among a pack o' haythen? Look at that girl now, what'll come to her
in that bloody pack o' thieves an' blackguards, d'ye think? Howly
Joseph! It's mesilf that kapes wakin' benights to listen fer the
screams av her. Why don't ye shtay like a man by yer childer an'
tell me that?"

"My affairs--" began the Russian, with a touch of hauteur in his tone.

"An' what affairs have ye needin' ye more than yer childer?
Tell me that, will ye?"

And truth to tell, Mrs. Fitzpatrick's indignation blazed forth not
only on behalf of the children, but on behalf of the unfortunate
Paulina as well, whom, in spite of herself, she pitied.