Page 169 - The snake's pass

—
"
A VISIT TO JOYCE. 157
"Fine evenin', Misther Joyce. I hope yer arrum is
"
betther—an' how is Miss Norah ?
"Thank ye kindly, Andy; both me arm and the girl's
well."
"
" Is she widin ?
" No ! she wint this mornin' to stay over Monday in
the convent. Poor girl! she's broken-hearted, lavin' her
home and gettin' settled here. I med the changin' as
light for her as I could—but weemin takes things to
heart more nor min does, an' that's bad enough, God
knows !
" Thrue for ye," said Andy. " This gintleman here,
Masther Art,- says he hasn't seen her since the night
she met us below in the dark."
" I hope," said Joyce, " you'll look in and see us, if
you're in these parts, sir, whin she comes back. I know
she thought a dale of your kindness to me that night."
" I'll be here for some days, and I'll certainly come,
if I may."
" And I hope I may come, too, Mr. Joyce," said Dick,
" now that you know me."
" Ye' 11 be welkim, sir."
We all shook hands, coming away ; but as we turned
to go home, at the gate we had a surprise. There,
in the boreen, stood Murdock — livid with fury. He
attacked Dick with a tirade of the utmost virulence.
He called him every name he could lay his tongue to
traitor, liar, thief, and indeed exhausted the whole termi-
nology of abuse, and accused him of stealing his secrets