Burke shook his head sympathetically, as a sudden gale swept round the house.
"'Tis lookin' for a bad night, sure enough!" he said, as he passed round the table with the next course.
When the pudding had been served and partaken of by Asshlin, Clodagh at last pushed back her chair, and with a curiously unstrung movement walked across the room to the fireplace.
"Larry," she said suddenly, "will you play cards with me when Burke takes the things away?"
Asshlin looked up with interest.
"By Jove!" he said, "what a good idea!"
When Burke reappeared, solemnly carrying some cheese, Clodagh turned to him quickly.
"Is there a pack of cards in the house, Tim?" she asked.
He glanced at her white face and upright figure, but his expression betrayed nothing.
"I do be thinkin' there's a deck some place, if I could lay me mind on it."