"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. "God 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 gombeen 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."
