"Good heaven, Myles, there's Thady! what can he be wanting here?"
Ussher's arm fell from the fair girl's waist as he answered, "Never fear, dear, don't you speak to him; leave him to me." By this time, Thady had nearly joined them.
"Is that you, Feemy, here at this hour? What the d—— are you doing there, this time of night? Here, take my arm, and come home; it's time you had some one to mind you, I'm thinking."
Feemy saw that her brother was intoxicated, and was frightened; she turned, though she did not take his arm, and Ussher turned too.
"Your sister's not alone, Macdermot; as I'm with her, I don't think you have much cause to fear, because she is about a mile from Ballycloran."
"May be, Captain Ussher, you're being with her mayn't make her much safer; at any rate you'll let me manage my own affairs. I suppose I can take my sisther to her own home without your interference," and he took hold of his sister's arm, as if to drag it within his own.
"Good heavens, Thady, what are you afther? shure an't I walking with you; don't be dragging me!"
"It appears to me, Macdermot," said Ussher, "that though your sister was in want of no protector before you came, she is in great want of one now."
"She wanted it thin, and she wants it now, and will do as long as she's fool enough to put herself in the way of such as you; but, by G——d, as long as I'm with her, she shall have it!" and he dragged her along by the arm.
"But, Thady," said the poor girl, afraid both of her brother and her lover, and hardly knowing to which to address herself; "but, Thady, you're hurting me, and I'll walk with you quiet enough. I was only getting a little cool afther the dancing, and what's the great harm in that?"