At last Bella herself broke the silence. 'Well, Terry, are ye ov the wan min' yet?' she asked abruptly in a mocking voice.
'I am,' replied Terry heavily, 'av ye'll take me.'
Bella flushed and looked down, then she continued suddenly in a hard, even tone:
'I'll not marry yous here. But av ye like to come wid me to Enniskilling, I'll marry yous to-morrow.'
At this unlooked for speech the blood surged over Terry's face and neck in a deep red flood. 'Ov coorse I'll come and welcome,' he answered hastily: the opportunity was too good to miss, there would be time to think later on.
But the moment that she had obtained her terms thus easily a swift remorse seized upon the girl, and she cried:
'No, no, I won't go. It's not fair on yous. I don't luv yous enough.'
But the young man replied firmly with a deep note of exaltation in his voice:
'I have yer promus, and I won't give it yous back. I know that I haven't yer luv yet, but I'm not afeard but I can win it, av ye give me the chanst. I'd come av I had to wade through a fiel' ov fire.'
Suddenly the girl burst into a flood of tears, and bowing her head, seized his hand and kissed it, murmuring through her sobs, 'You are too good for me, Terry, too good for me.'