Page 250 - The snake's pass

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238 — THE snake's pass.
than a peasant. He became the station, and there was
no pretence. He made a rough kind of apology to
us both :
" I fear ye' 11 find things a bit rough, compared with
what you're accustomed to, but I know ye'll not mind.
We have hardly got settled down here yit ; and me
sisther, who always lives with us, is away with me other
sisther that is sick, so Norah has to fare by herself;
but gentlemen both — you, Mr. Sutherland ; and you,
Arthur — you're welcome!
We sat down to table, and Norah insisted on doing
all the attendance herself. I wanted to help her, and,
when she was taking up a plate of cakes from the hearth,
stooped beside her and said :
Do let me "
" May not I help, Norah ? !
" No—no, dear," she whispered. " Don't ask me now
— I'm a little strange yet— another time. You'll be
very good, won't you, and help me not to feel awk-
"
ward ?
Needless to say I sat at table for the rest of the
meal, and feasted my eyes on my darling, whilst in
common with the others I enjoyed the good things
placed before us. But when she saw that I looked too
long and too lovingly, she gave me such an imploring
glance from her eloquent eyes, that for the remainder
of the time I restrained both the ardour of my glance
and its quantity within modest bounds.
Oh ! but she was fair and sweet to look upon ! Her
dark hair was plainly combed back, and coiled modestly