poured into other ears. And it so happened that O'Brien now became
her chief ally. I do not remember that she troubled herself much
further with the cherub angels or with their mother; and I am
inclined to think that, taking up warmly, as she did, the story of
O'Brien's matrimonial wrongs, she forgot the little history of the
Browns. Be that as it may, Mrs. Talboys and O'Brien now became
strictly confidential, and she would enlarge by the half-hour
together on the miseries of her friend's position, to any one whom
she could get to hear her.

"I'll tell you what, Fanny," Mackinnon said to his wife one day,--to
his wife and to mine, for we were all together; "we shall have a row
in the house if we don't take care. O'Brien will be making love to
Mrs. Talboys."

"Nonsense," said Mrs. Mackinnon. "You are always thinking that
somebody is going to make love to some one."

"Somebody always is," said he.

"She's old enough to be his mother," said Mrs. Mackinnon.

"What does that matter to an Irishman?" said Mackinnon. "Besides, I
doubt if there is more than five years' difference between them."

"There must be more than that," said my wife. "Ida Talboys is
twelve, I know, and I am not quite sure that Ida is the eldest."

"If she had a son in the Guards it would make no difference," said
Mackinnon. "There are men who consider themselves bound to make