Page 257 - The snake's pass

! ; ;;
murdock's wooing. 245
pose ye won't luk at ine because ye have a young slipark
on yer hands. I'm no fool ! an' I know why ye've been
down in the Fields. I seen yez both more nor wance
an' I'm makin' me offer knowin' what I know. I don't
want to be too hard on ye, an' I'll say nothin' if ye
dont dhrive me to. But remimber ye're in me power
an' ye've got to plase me in wan way or another. I
knew what I was doin' whin I watched ye wid yer
young shpark! Ye didn't want yer father to see him
nigh the house! Ye'd betther be careful, the both of
ye. If ye don't intind to marry me, well, ye won't
but mind how ye thrate me or shpake to me, here or
where there's others by ; or be th' Almighty ! I'll send
"
the ugly whisper round the counthry about ye
Flesh and blood could not stand this. In an instant
I was out in the porch, and ready to fly at his throat
;^
but Norah put her arm between us.
"Mr. Severn!" she said in a voice which there was no
gainsaying, " my father is here. It is for him to pro-
tect me here, if any protection is required from a thing
like that ! " The scorn of her voice made even Murdock
wince, and seemed to cool both Joyce and myself, and
also Dick, who now stood beside us.
Murdock looked from one to another of us for a
moment in amazement, and then with a savage scowl, as
though he were looking who and where to strike with
venom, he fixed on Norah—God forgive him
" An' so ye have him at home already, have ye An'
!
yer father prisent too, an' a witness. It's the sharp