Quinlevin rose, glaring at Horton.
"Silence, Nora!"
"Then why," insisted Horton, "if the child was a girl, was it given the Christian name of a boy?"
"A boy——!"
Nora Burke started back a pace, her round foolish face, usually florid, now the color of putty.
"Nora!" Quinlevin roared. "Keep silent, d'ye hear?"
But it was too late to repair the damage done. Horton had not taken his gaze from Nora Burke's face, and he knew that he had struck his mark. He was aware of Moira, who had come forward and was leaning on the table near him, watching as eagerly as he.
Jim Horton shrugged and brought quickly from his pocket a small red book, which he opened at a page carefully dog-cared.
"This little book is a dictionary of French and English, Nora. It's a very good dictionary. Here's a page of Christian names in French and in English. Here you are: Patrice—Patrick. Can you tell me in the name of all that's sensible why Mary Callonby named the child Patrick unless it was a boy?"
Nora gasped for breath once or twice, glancing at Quinlevin, who shrugged and frowned.