Page 242 - The snake's pass

230 — THE snake's pass. —
In all my thought there was no cloud. Each day
each hour seemed to reveal new beauties in the girl I
loved, and I felt as if all the world were full of sun-
shine, and all the future of hope; and I built new
resolves to be worthy of the good fortune which had come
upon me.
It was not long before Norah came to me, and said
that she had told her father, and that he wished
to speak with me. She said that he quite agreed
about the school, and that there would be no difficulty
made by him on account of any false pride about my
helping in the task. We had but one sweet minute
together on the rock, and one kiss; and then, hand in
hand, we hurried back to the cottage, and found Joyce
waiting for us, smoking his pipe.
Norah took me inside, and, after kissing her father,
came shyly and kissed me also, and went out. Joyce
began :
" Me daughter has been tellin' me about the plan of
her goin' to school, an' her an' me's agreed that it's the
right thing to do. Of coorse, we're not of your class,
an' if ye wish for her it is only right an' fair that she
should be brought up to the level of the people that
she's goin' into. It's not in me own power to do all
this for her, an' although I did'nt give her the schoolin'
that the quality has, I've done already more nor min
like me mostly does. Norah knows more nor any girl
about here—an' as ye're to have the benefit of yer
wife's schoolin', I don't see no rayson why ye should'nt