Page 243 - The snake's pass

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BOG-FISHING AND SCHOOLING. 231
help in it. Mind ye this—if I conld see me way to
do it nieself, I'd work me arms off before I'd let you
or any one else come between her an' me in such a
thing. But it'd be only a poor kind of pride that'd
hurt the poor child's feelins, an' mar her future—an'
so it'll be as ye both wish. Ye must find out the
schools an' write me about them when ye go back to
London." I jumped up and shook his hand.
" Mr. Joyce, I am more delighted than I can tell
you ; and I promise, on my honour, that you shall
never in your life regret what you have done."
" I'm sure of that—Mr.—Mr.— "
"
"Call me Arthur !
" Well I must do
! it some day—Arthur—an' as to
the matther that Norah told me ye shpoke of—that, if
I'd wish it, ye'd be married first. Well ! me own
mind an' Norah's is the same—I'd rather that she
come to you as a lady at wance—though God knows
it's a lady she is in all ways I iver see one in me life
"
—barrin' the clothes !
" That's true, Mr. Joyce ! there is no better lady in all
the land."
" Well, that's all settled. Ye'll let me know in
good time about the schools, won't ye ? an' now I
must get back to me work," and he passed out of the
house, and went up the hillside.
Then Norah came back, and with joy I told her
that all had been settled ; and somehow, we seemed to
have taken another step up the ascent that leads