Page 256 - The snake's pass

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244 " — ' THE snake's psss. —
There was a long pause. Then Murdock spoke again,
and both suppressed hate and anger were in his
voice :
" Ye had betther have a care wid me. I've crushed ye
wance, an' I'll crush ye agin! Ye can shpake scornful
yerself, bat mayhap the girrul would give a different
answer."
" Then, ye had betther hear her answer from herself.
"
Norah ! Come here, daughter ! Come here !
Norah rose, making an imperative sign to me to keep
my seat, and with the bearing of an empress passed
across to the door and stood beside her father. She
took no notice whatever of her wooer.
"
" What is it, father ?
"Now, Murdock, spake away! Say what ye have to
say ; an' take yer answer from her own lips." Murdock
spoke with manifest embarrassment :
"I've been tellin' yer father that I'd like ye for me
!
wife
!
"I've heard all you said
"
" An' yer answer ?
" My father has answered for me "
!
"But I want me answer from yer own lips. My! but
"
it's the handsome girrul ye are this night !
" My answer is ' No ! ' " and she turned to come
back.
" Shtay ! " Murdock' s voice was nasty, so nasty that
instinctively I stood up. No person should speak like
that to the woman I loved. Norah stopped. "I sup-