[2] Horatio, or Hurrish O'Brien, the big, kindly, simple farmer, gives poor, pretty Ally a home, and is a father to weak, vain Maurice Brady; but he becomes the victim of fate.

Maurice Brady’s brutish brother Mat, hated by all, shoots at Hurrish from his hiding-place; Hurrish strikes one blow in self-defence, kills him, and is betrayed to the police by Maurice.

Ally becomes a nun; Maurice goes to America, where he makes a fortune, but is shunned by his countrymen as an informer and a traitor.

[1] Helen Rex Keller writes, "This is a picture of life on the west coast of Ireland, wild and sad as is that barren iron land itself.

… This [is a] capital picture of Irish character, with all its weaknesses, inconsistencies, and superstitions".