He could tell stories and amuse the Princess. That was one thing none of the others could do. He fell asleep smiling.
A few days later, Marjorie told him that she was planning a birthday party. She told him about all the amusements they were to have. Many children were to be asked.
They would have ice cream and cake and chocolate in the garden under the trees. Shaun would serve them.
They would play games, and Shaun would tell them stories. Oh, that was to be the best part of all, Marjorie thought.
Shaun and the little girl planned the party together. Shaun suggested an Irish game, and Marjorie said it would be fun to play it.
So the day arrived. It was a shiny spring day. It was a pretty sight to see the little boys and girls running about and playing together in the green garden.
Marjorie cried out, "Come now! Shaun will show you how to play his game."
And the tall lad stood among the little children. He tried to make them understand what fun it was to play an old Irish game.
It was a game that Shaun had played and that Shaun's father had played and perhaps Shaun's father's father.
But these young Americans did not like it. They said so. They turned their backs and refused to play it.
So Marjorie said, "Then Shaun will tell us a story."
The children gathered around Shaun and he began: "Once upon a time in old Ireland--"
"Will there be any wars in the story?" asked one of the children--a boy, of course.
[Illustration: "ONCE UPON A TIME IN OLD IRELAND"]
Then he went on. He was telling a fairy tale. The boys began to realize that it was not about wild Indians and wars. They twisted and fidgeted. They dug their heels into the ground, and one boy pinched another. He squealed aloud.
"S-sh!" said one girl. "Stop making that noise!"
One boy stood up and said, "Who wants to hear about fairies?"
The boys ran away, shouting, "Come on! Let's play robbers."
Marjorie said, "They would have liked Shaun's story. They should have listened. It was awf'lly 'citing! But he hardly started to tell it."
By this time the group was scattered. Even the little girls were whispering together.
Shaun got up and walked away. He walked to a bench at the other end of the garden and sat down. He was thinking very deeply.