in a jar.
MAIRE We'd have no right to take another day from Brian. And when there's no one here to-morrow, you and me could draw some of the turf.
ANNE
Your hair is loose, Maire.
Maire goes to the mirror and fixes her hair.
MAIRE The wind blew it about me, and then I let it down. I came home by the long way, just to feel young again with my hair about me.
ANNE
And did you meet any one?
MAIRE
Indeed I did. I met James Moynihan.
ANNE
James had to go early. They're building at his place.
MAIRE
Indeed they ought to let James build a house for himself. ANNE
Some day they will, Maire.
MAIRE But we must not let some day be a far day.
ANNE (hesitatingly) I think I'll show you something.
MAIRE What is it, daughter?
Anne rises and goes to the dresser. She opens drawer. Maire watches her.
MAIRE (waiting) I made a good girl out of you, anyway.
ANNE
You wouldn't let me use stroller words when we were on the road.
Do you mind of that?
MAIRE
I kept you to the mannerly ways. I have that to my credit.
ANNE (showing Maire the verses) Read that, Maire. It was James that made it.
MAIRE
It's a song, I declare.
ANNE
No, Maire, it's a poem.
MAIRE
A poem? O, that's grand!
She begins to read it eagerly.
ANNE
And, Maire—
MAIRE
Well?
ANNE
James says it's about me.
MAIRE
About you? O, I wish some one would put me into a song, or into a poem;
I suppose a poem would be best. You might ask James. No, I'll coax him
myself. Ah, no I won't, Anne.
ANNE
You may keep it for a while, but don't let any one know.
MAIRE
He must be very fond of you, and I thinking him so quiet.
ANNE (happy) He has grand thoughts about me.
MAIRE
Well, you'll be seeing him to-night.
ANNE
I don't know that I'll go out to-night.
MAIRE
Sure Grace Moynihan asked us to go over.
ANNE
I'm shy of going into James'.
MAIRE Anne, you're the only one of us that has any manners. Maybe you're right not to go.
ANNE
I'll stay in to-night.
MAIRE
Then Brian and myself will go to Moynihan's.
ANNE
You'd get an indulgence, Maire, if you missed a dance.
MAIRE Would it be so hard to get an indulgence? (She takes flowers from dresser and puts them in window) The house looks nice this evening. We'll keep Brian here for a while, and then we'll go to Moynihan's.
ANNE
Father will be going out to-night.
MAIRE (turning suddenly from window) Will he?
ANNE He will. I think I ought to stay in. Maire, father was in only a while before you the night before last and another night.
MAIRE O, and I thinking things were going so well with us. He's drinking again.
ANNE
He's going to Flynn's again.
MAIRE
Disgracing us again.
ANNE
I'll stay in to-night.
MAIRE
I'm tired of this.
ANNE
Don't say it that way, Maire.
MAIRE
What will people say of us two now?
ANNE
I'll talk to him to-night.
MAIRE No, you're going out—you're going to Moynihan's—you're going to see your sweetheart.
ANNE
I think you're becoming a stranger to us, Maire.
MAIRE You're going to Moynihan's to-night, and I'm going, too. But I'm going to settle this first. Once and for all I'm going to settle this.
The fiddle has ceased. As Maire goes towards the room, Conn Hourican comes down, the fiddle in his hand.
CONN Were you listening to the tune I was playing? Ah, that was a real oul tune, if there was anyone that knew it. Maire, my jewel, were you listening?
MAIRE
I heard you.
CONN It was a real oul' tune, and while I was playing it a great scheme came into my head. Now, listen to me, Maire; and you listen, too, Anne. Both of you would like to see your father having
