Page 254 - The snake's pass

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THE snake's pass.
" Well, Phelim, I'll tell ye tho' it's mortial hard to
;
name it shtandin' widout the door like a thramp ! I'm
a warrum man
; I've a power iv money put by, an' it
brings me in much."
" I know ! I know ! " said the other bitterly. " Grod
help me! but I know too well how it was gother up."
" Well niver mind that now we all know
! that.
;
Anyhow, it is gother up. An' them as finds most fault
wid the manes, mayhap 'd be the first to get hould iv it
av they could. Well, anyhow, I'm warrum enough to
ask any girrul in these parts to share it wid me.
There's many min and weemin between this and
Galway, that'd like to talk over the fortin iv their
daughter wid Murtagh Murdock—for all he's a gom-
been man."
As he spoke, the clasp of Norah's hand and mine
grew closer. I could feel in her clasp both a clinging, as
for protection, and a restraining power on myself.
Murdock went on :
" But there's none of thim girls what I've set me
harrt on—except wan ! " He paused. Joyce said
quietly :
"An' who, now, might that be?"
!
" Yer own daughther, Norah Joyce Norah's hand
"
restrained me as I was instinctively rising.
" Go on ! " said Joyce, and I could notice that
there was a suppressed passion in his voice :
"Well, I've set me harrt on her; and I'm willin' to
settle a fortin on her, on wan condition."