"Yes; she meant to call on you."
"I am sorry to perceive that you yourself look but poorly."
"That does not matter, Murphy. I have come here to make provision for Maureen."
"But," said Murphy, "marriage settlement, you know. It's impossible to twist a marriage settlement made prior to marriage. In that you have left everything to your own children."
"I cannot leave Maureen with no money," said the Rector. His voice was agitated, his face deadly pale, and there were drops of dew on his forehead. "Is there no possible way, Mr. Murphy," he continued, "in which my dear little niece can be provided for?"
"Well, Mr. O'Brien, right is right, and law is law, and if your children when they all come of age agree, with the sanction of the trustees, Mr. Walters of Walterscourt and Mr. O'More of Moresland, to share their money with the little girl, it can of course be done. By the way, how old is that lad there?"
"Fifteen," interrupted Dominic; "and I wish it done. I don't want to wait for any coming-of-age."
"Tut-tut, lad, you don't know the law.—Forgive me, O'Brien, but I am not very well acquainted with your family."
"There is my other son, Denis, aged eleven, and my baby, Kitty, aged six."
"Dear, dear, dear!" said Murphy. "You'd best see the trustees. I can do nothing, and I doubt if they can until your youngest child is of age; then of course the matter can be easily arranged and your little property divided into four instead of three shares."