Peg paused: Ethel did not speak.
Peg persisted: "Tell me—are ye ralely dependin' on ME? Spake to me. Because if ye are, I won't go. I'll stay with ye. I wouldn't see ye beggars for the wurrld. I've been brought up amongst them, an' I know what it is."
Suddenly she took Ethel by the shoulders and asked in a voice so low that none of the others heard her:
"Was that the reason ye were goin' last night?"
Ethel tried to stop her.
The truth illumined Ethel's face and Peg saw it and knew.
"Holy Mary!" she cried, "and it was I was drivin' ye to it. Ye felt the insult of it every time ye met me—as ye said last night. Sure, if I'd known, dear, I'd never have hurt ye, I wouldn't! Indade, I wouldn't!"
She turned to the others:
"There! It's all settled. I'll stay with ye, aunt, an' ye can tache me anythin' ye like. Will some one ask Jarvis to bring back me bundles an' 'Michael.' I'm goin' to stay!"
Jerry smiled approvingly at her. Then he said: