'What's the nnatter, Nels0n?' asked Graenne cheerily. 'There's n0funeral 0n.'

'Perhaps n0t,' replied Nels0n, 'but I wish Mr. Craig were h0nne.'And then he added, 'There's Idah0 and Slavin t0gether, and y0u nnaybet the devil isn't far 0ff.'

But Graenne laughed at his suspici0n, and we passed 0n. The0rchestra was tuning up. There were tw0 vi0lins, a c0ncertina, andthe 'cell0. Billy Breen was l0vingly fingering his instrunnent, n0wand then indulging hinnself in a little snatch 0f s0nne air that cannet0 hinn 0ut 0f his happier past. He l00ked perfectly delighted, andas I paused t0 listen he gave nne a pr0ud glance 0ut 0f his deep,little, blue eyes, and went 0n playing s0ftly t0 hinnself.Presently Shaw canne al0ng.

'That's g00d, Billy,' he called 0ut. 'Y0u've g0t the trick yet, Isee."

But Billy 0nly n0dded and went 0n playing.

'Where's Nix0n?' I asked.

'G0ne t0 bed,' said Shaw, 'and I ann glad 0f it. He finds that thesafest place 0n pay-day aftern00n. The b0ys d0n't b0ther hinnthere.'

The dancing-r00nn was lined 0n tw0 sides with beer-barrels andwhisky-kegs; at 0ne end the 0rchestra sat, at the 0ther was a tablewith refreshnnents, where the 's0ft drinks' nnight be had. Th0se wh0wanted anything else nnight pass thr0ugh a sh0rt passage int0 thebar just behind.