At that moment, a figure in a dark overcoat that almost made him invisible was between Chloe and the three men. He spoke with authority and told the men to go on home. The three men joined in unison laughing, and stepped up to the shadowy figure that was between them and their fun for the evening. The soberest one of the three exclaimed, "Blimey, Mate's it's a bloody priest!" Father O'Connor spoke again, "I am a priest, and unless you want God's wrath of condemnation on your souls go home, and the lot of you are all drunk!" The three men moved away slowly and the big one tipped his hat and said, "Sorry, Father we didn't mean no harm to the lass." The darkness of the night gave the three many opportunities to fade into the night. They probably will have little memory of their bad behavior in the light of day. Father O'Connor turned his attention to Chloe and began to wipe her face of her tears. As Chloe began to fall to the ground, Father O'Connor caught her, and supported her until she came to a rest on the dirty cobble street. Providence then provided a constable making his rounds to help Father O'Connor. The next thing that Chloe remembered was the priest and a constable was on each side of her carrying her into a church. She was aware of the constable inquiring about where she had come from, and where was she going in the middle of the night in Dublin. Father O'Connor satisfied the queries with the promise that she would be fine, and the church would take care of her. One of the sister's shows Chloe to a room in the back of the church, told her to wash and make her self-comfortable. Chloe was feeling better, and she felt safe in the church. Chloe would later reflect that the priest showing up when he did was surely, divine intervention. Just as Chloe was finally drifting off to sleep she heard the priest talking, and for a moment, she thought it sounded like her mother's voice. Father O'Connor spoke from the other side of the door and told Chloe that Sister Mary was there, and was coming in, and would stay with her and that he would see them both at breakfast in the morning. Sister Mary was kind, and now she did not sound anything like her mother, but she had a kind face. Sister Mary made sure that Chloe had everything that she needed, and told her to try to get some sleep. Chloe was so very tired, and fell asleep quickly. Chloe's dreams filled with troubling thoughts of the fact that she had narrowly escaped the wickedness of those drunken men. As the early light of day broke through the shutters on the windows, Sister Mary jarred Chloe awake and told her to come with her to morning prayers. Chloe was a little nervous and still very sleepy, but she followed. She and the other sisters sat at a long table and took turns praying. When most of the sisters prayed, Chloe could not understand a word that they said. She thought that it must be Latin. Without any conversation after they prayed, Sister Mary pulled on Chloe's sleeve to beckon her to follow her down a narrow hall and up some winding steps and they went into a small dining area and sat down. Father O'Connor blessed the food and everyone ate in silence. After eating, all of the sister's excused themselves and got busy cleaning up. Father O'Connor told Chloe to follow him to the chapel and had her sit outside the confessionary. He asked her how long it had been since she had been to confession. Chloe mumbled that she did not know, and that was good enough for the priest to enter on the other side and he began to hear Chloe's confession. Chloe told of her recent miss-fortune and her stay at the convent, and stowing away and then the encounter with the drunken men on the street. Father O'Connor listened, and then he absolved her of her sins and then told her to come and sit again, and then it sounded as if he said, "God moves in mysterious ways his wonders to perform." Father O'Connor asked Chloe many questions, and the one answer that she gave him to his question of what were her plans, as a young single woman in Dublin city seemed to cause the priest to half way smile. He then said that she must go with the sisters to help with their chores. As the priest left, Chloe thought she heard him saying again, "God moves in mysterious ways his works to perform." During the evening meal on the second day, another older priest was there and after supper, the two priests left the room. Chloe helps the sisters cleaning up and the sisters began discussing the fact that Father O'Connor was leaving for America on Wednesday. Chloe listened intently at every word that the sisters spoke. Chloe startled by what she heard, wanders what day it is, she had no idea. She asked what day it was and Sister Aine said, "It is Thursday." Chloe busied her self-helping the sisters and learnt that some of them did have personalities. They all were excited for Father O'Connor and Chloe kept thinking about what she had just heard and determined that no matter what Father O'Connor thought about her forwardness as a young woman she would ask. She had too; Chloe could see a way to get to America. Father O'Connor looked for Chloe before teatime and found her in the chapel on her knees scrubbing the floor. He quietly asked Chloe to stop and to sit outside the back of the confessional that he wanted to discuss something with her. Father O'Connor elaborated the plans of his journey from Dublin on the ship the “Queen” that was the next week for America. His offer is Chloe's passage be paid for, if she agreed to stay at the parsonage, clean, and make the place decent. It would take about 3-4 months and she would have food, room and board. Chloe sat there speechless, not believing what she had just heard. She was going to America. Her heart was pounding and she pinched herself to make sure she was not dreaming. Chloe finally was able to speak, and told Father O'Connor that she would be happy to clean the church and parsonage and any other buildings for her passage. Chloe was appraised a little of the information that was available to travelers on the way to America. Father O'Connor gave her a stack of letters that he had received from another priest that had been in America some fourteen months. He instructed her to read them, and glean what she could out of them about life in America. Chloe would read them many times, and visualize different things about life in America. The letters made Chloe even more excited about going to America. The days passed quickly for their departure and Chloe was nervous, but so very excited and scolded several times for wanting to tell what she had learnt about life in America. She heard the older priest discussing the trip with Father O'Connor. She heard him ask questions him about whether it was a wise thing to have Chloe has part of his missionary endeavors. Father O'Connor told that he was certain that God had sent Chloe to be a part of his mission to America. The conversation then changed to Father O'Connor telling more about the duties that he had been responsible for and Father Abraham would now be doing.
The departure from the church was un-eventful, and the older priest was apparently taking over and seemed to be eager for Father O'Connor to leave. He blessed them both and promised to pray for their safe passage to America. The sisters had made some pastry for Father O'Connor and wrapped a few for Chloe as well. Sister Aine gave Chloe a small Bible with the address of the convent, asked her to write at least once if she is able, and wished Chloe, God's speed. On the way to the docks, the carriage stopped at a haberdashery and Father O'Connor told Chloe to follow him, he received a small package that had been waiting for him. He opened the package and then he handed Chloe a smaller package and told her to go in the back to the changing room and change into clothing that is more suitable. On opening the package and finding a habit, this surprised Chloe, but she figured it probably would actually protect her on the journey if people thought of her as a sister.
The shop clerk was a sinister looking man that mumbled to himself constantly under his breath. When he was not mumbling he seemed to be smacking his lips as if he had a boiled sweet in his mouth He did not notice that the young woman that had entered his store looking like a typical young Irish woman was now leaving dressed as a sister from the convent. Father O'Connor paid the clerk, and as they left, they could hear the clerk mumbling to himself. As soon as the door closed, Father O'Connor laughed and tried to imitate the clerk smacking is lips and said grinning, "I do love a boiled sweet." Chloe saw a new side to Father O'Connor; he had a sense of humor.
