“‘She’ll scarce pass the night,’ he said; and went off, for he appeared to be very busy, and tired-looking he was, too. The nun and a couple more carried off poor Rosy, and I waited about, thinking to get to see the nun again. And so I did, after a long time. And she said I might go home, for I could do no more there.
“‘You can’t see the poor young woman again,’ says she; ‘but it makes no differ, for she knows no one; and I’ll see she gets proper care.’
“‘Oh sure I know that, mam,’ says I; ‘but if only she could have seen the poor mother, just the once...!’
“So she questioned me a bit, up and down; and I related the whole thing to her, and said, I thought very bad of leaving Rosy that was a neighbour and so well acquainted with us both, there by herself, if death was coming upon her; and says the nun, ‘I give you my word again, she wouldn’t know you; she’s not aware of anything now, she’s so far through! But I’ll promise you that I’ll look after her, so long as the breath is in her, and I’ll see that everything possible is done for her; and let you get off back home ... you’re wet and tired....’
“So she moved off, and I got the little ass ... she was no good to go at all, by reason of the rain, that had her powerless ... but she’s like all asses in that! But that’s what has me so late. And now we’ll go to bed; I’ll have to be up at cockcrow in the morning....”
“For what?” says Kitty, “and you so tired!”
“That’s what I am, too; as betten as the road. But I must give word at Heffernan’s of what’s after taking place!”
“Them two babbies is sleeping very peaceable,” says Kitty, taking a last look at her own and Rosy’s, that she had put lying beside one another, snuggled up like a pair of kittens on a shakedown in the corner; “’twas God that done it, that poor Rosy left that child of hers here with me, and she making off through the rain this morning....”
“Troth, I dunno!” says Dan; “I’m thinking we had enough of our own here, without that little girleen of Art Heffernan’s as well!”
“Won’t we have plenty for all, with a blessing?” said Kitty; “and the way they do be knocked about in the Union! I couldn’t bear the thoughts of it!”