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 This both surprised and nettled me, and I was determined now to have it out, so I said, "You quite surprise me, Andy. What have I ever done? Do not be afraid! Out with it," for he kept looking at me in a timorous kind of way.

"Well, then, yer 'an'r, about poor Miss Norah?"

This was a surprise, but I wanted to know more.

"Well, Andy, what about her?"

"Shure, an' didn't you refuse to shpake iv her intirely an' sot on me fur only mintionin' her—an' she wan iv the purtiest girruls in the place."

"My dear Andy," said I, "I thought I had explained to you, last night, all about that. I don't suppose you quite understand; but it might do a girl in her position harm to be spoken about with a—a man like me."

"Wid a man like you—an' for why? Isn't she as good a girrul as iver broke bread?"

"Oh, it's not that, Andy; people might think harm."

"Think harrum!—phwhat harrum—an' who'd think it?"

"Oh, you don't understand—a man in your position can hardly know."

"But, yer 'an'r, I don't git comprehindin'! What harrum could there be, an' who'd think it? The people here is all somethin' iv me own position—workin' people—an' whin they knows a girrul is a good, dacent girrul, why should they think harrum because a nice young gintleman goes out iv his way to shpake to her?