Page:The Snake's Pass (Stoker).djvu/257

 pose ye won't luk at me because ye have a young shpark 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 protect 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