h, I _wish_ you could only know all! And me!! What in
the world _can_ I do!"

"Oh, Miss O'Halloran!" said I; "I love you--I adore-you--and--oh, Miss
O'Halloran!--I--"

"Miss O'Halloran!" she cried, starting back as I advanced once more,
and tried to take her hand.

"_Nora_, then," said I. "Dearest, sweetest! You cannot be indifferent. Oh,
Nora!" and I grasped her hand.

But at that moment I was startled by a heavy footstep at the door. I
dropped Nora's hand, which she herself snatched away, and turned.

IT WAS O'HALLORAN!!!!!

He stood for a moment looking at us, and then he burst out into a roar
of laughter.

"Macrorie!" he cried--"Macrorie! May the divil saize me if I don't
beleeve that ye're indulgin' in gallanthries."

Now, at that moment, his laughter sounded harsh and ominous; but I had
done no wrong, and so, in conscious innocence, I said:

"Mr. O'Halloran, you are right in your conjecture; but I assure you
that it was no mere gallantry; for, sir, I have a strong affection for
Miss O'Halloran, and have just asked her for her hand."

"_Miss_ O'Halloran!" cried he. "_Miss_ O'Halloran! Sure, why didn't ye ask
hersilf, thin, like a man?"

"Oh, dear!" cried Nora, taking O'Halloran's arm, and turning her
beautiful, pleading face up to his--"oh, dear! It's all a dreadful,
dreadful mistake. He doesn't know who I am. He thinks that _I_ am Miss
O'Halloran."

"You!" I cried. "You! Why, are you not? Of course, you are. Who else
are you?"

"Oh, tell him, tell him!" cried Nora. "It's so dreadful! Such a horrid,
horrid mistake to make!"

A bright light flashed all over O'Halloran's face. He looked at me, and
then, at Nora; and then there came forth a peal of laughter which would
have done honor to any of the gods at the Olympian table. This time the
laughter was pure, and fresh, and joyous, and free.

"_Miss_ O'Halloran!" he cried--"ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! _Miss_ O'Halloran!
ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! _Miss_ O'Halloran! Oh, be the powers, it's me
that'll nivir get over that same! _Miss_ O'Halloran! An' givin' wee to
sintimint--ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! an'askin' for riciproceetee av' tindir
attachmint--ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! What in the woide wurruld ivir injuiced
ye to think that me own little Nora was _Miss_ O'Halloran?"

"Miss O'Halloran? Why," said I, "what else could I suppose? I recollect
now, when you introduced me the other night, you didn't mention her
name; and, if she isn't Miss O'Halloran, who is she? Let me know n