While her guest was sleeping, the widow made up her mind that her best and safest course, for the present, would be, as she expressed it to her daughter, Meg, “to keep her toe in her pump, and say nothing to nobody.”

“Anty can just stay quiet and asy,” she continued, “till we see what Master Barry manes to be afther; he’ll find it difficult enough to move her out of this, I’m thinking, and I doubt his trying.  As to money matthers, I’ll neither meddle nor make, nor will you, mind; so listen to that, girls; and as to Moylan, he’s a dacent quiet poor man—­but it’s bad thrusting any one.  Av’ he’s her agent, however, I s’pose he’ll look afther the estate; only, Barry’ll be smashing the things up there at the house yonder in his anger and dhrunken fits, and it’s a pity the poor girl’s property should go to rack.  But he’s such a born divil, she’s lucky to be out of his clutches alive; though, thank the Almighty, that put a good roof over the lone widow this day, he can’t clutch her here.  Wouldn’t I like to see him come to the door and ax for her!  And he can’t smash the acres, nor the money they say Mulholland has, at Tuam; and faix, av’ he does any harm up there at the house, shure enough Anty can make him pay for—­it every pot and pan of it—­out of his share, and she’ll do it, too—­av’ she’s said by me.  But mind, I’ll neither meddle nor make; neither do you, and then we’re safe, and Anty too.  And Martin’ll be here soon—­I wondher what good Dublin’ll do him?—­They might have the Repale without him, I suppose?—­And when he’s here, why, av’ he’s minded to marry her, and she’s plased, why, Father Geoghegan may come down, and do it before the whole counthry, and who’s ashamed?  But there’ll be no huggery-muggery, and schaming; that is, av’ they’re said by me.  Faix, I’d like to know who she’s to be afeared of, and she undher this roof!  I s’pose Martin ain’t fool enough to care for what such a fellow as Barry Lynch can do or say—­and he with all the Kellys to back him; as shure they would, and why not, from the lord down?  Not that I recommend the match; I think Martin a dale betther off as he is, for he’s wanting nothing, and he’s his own industhry—­and, maybe, a handful of money besides.  But, as for being afeard—­I niver heard yet that a Kelly need be afeard of a Lynch in Dunmore.”

In this manner did Mrs Kelly express the various thoughts that ran through her head, as she considered Anty’s affairs; and if we could analyse the good lady’s mind, we should probably find that the result of her reflections was a pleasing assurance that she could exercise the Christian virtues of charity and hospitality towards Anty, and, at the same time, secure her son’s wishes and welfare, without subjecting her own name to any obloquy, or putting herself to any loss or inconvenience.  She determined to put no questions to Anty, nor even to allude to her brother, unless spoken to on the subject; but, at the same time, she stoutly resolved to come to no terms with Barry, and to defy him to the utmost, should he attempt to invade her in her own territories.