“Why, generally afther twelve at night; and what makes it more strange is, that poor Mary's more afeard o' me than she is of the ghost. She says it appears to her in her bedroom every night; but she knows I'm so timersome that she keeps her door always locked for fraid I'd see it, poor child.”
“Does it terrify her?”
“Not a bit; she says it does her no harm on earth, and that it's great company for her when she can't sleep.”
“Has Mary many sweethearts?”
“She has two: one o' them rather ould, but wealthy and well to do; her father and myself, wishin' to see her well settled, are doin' all we can to get her consent to marry him.”
“Who's the other?”
“One Brine Oge M'Gaveran, a good-lookin' vagabone, no doubt, but not worth a copper.”
“Is she fond of him?”
“Troth, to tell you the truth, I'm afeard she is; he has been often seen about the house in the evenin's.”
“Well, Mrs. Houlaghan, I will tell you how to lay this ghost.”