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was the prettiest hand that f he had
ever wanted to take in his.' He took
it, and, seeing that no dramatic out
burst of anger followed, he drew the
girl to him and kissed her.
For, after all, that is the way in
which it is alwayB done.
"Muriel, dearest," he said, "do you
know I have loved you ever since I
set eyes on you?"
Muriel blushed so divinely that
there was nothing to do but repeat
the episode. And when he felt her
own soft lips on his he knew that
his love was returned in full.
"But I don't know what your fath
er will say," he said, with the timid
fear of lovers. "If he discharges me
will you wait, Muriel?"
"For ever," she whispered. "Be
sides, I can win over papa. What Is a
papa?"
If only she had noticed that his
tie was green! But it looked blue in
the night; to see its proper color one
would have to stand under the elec
tric light And he had gone straight
to Muriel when he found her in the
garden.
1 So it happened that when he stood
before his employer and stammered
out his story, in the way young men
approach wealthy old gentlemen,
Fagan's eyes fixed themselves upon
Blake's shirt-front and narrowed to
needle lines.
"May I ask you why you are wear
ing a green tie on this day of all
days, Mr. Blake?" he demanded, with
ominous calm.
"Why," said Blake, hesitating,
"you see, today is the anniversary of
the Battle of the Boyhe, a day ab
horrent to all good Irishmen, and "
Blake's great grandfather had been
hanged for treason in the days of
Robert Emmet,
Fagan' leaped out of his chair with
the agility of a tiger.
"Scoundrel! Scum of Limerick!"
he yelled. "To insult a good Belfast
man by flaunting the green flag!" He
shook his fist under his secretary's
note. "I killed a man for less In my
young d s," he shouted. "Out of,my
house, lou're fired". I'll have your
pay sent you I "
"Come, papa, what is all this
about?" interposed Muriel's soothing
voice. She had come in softly behindl
her lover to lend him aid if necessary?
She had not anticipated such vio-3
Ience.
"He's wearing of the green and
on this day, of all days!" stormed herf
father. "Molly, I wouldn't have
minded so much if it hadn't been for3
the deceit of the man. But hellet me
think all along he was argood
Orangeman, and now he comes and
taunts me to my face, presuming up
on his claim to love you. Kick him
out for me, Molly, my foot's got the
gout in it."
"Father, dear for my sake lis
ten," pleaded Muriel. "I am sure that
Arthur Mr. Blake can explain ev
erything. Father," she pleaded, "we
love each other. Think how you and
mother got married, when you were
earning nine dollars a week in a ship
ping office you've often told me so."
"But he's a: damned rebel, Molly,
and and the infernal impudence of
it!"
"Tell him it's all a mistake, Ar
thur," pleaded Muriel.
"It ain't a mistake, it's just treach
ery," roared her father. "Nine and
twenty good men, fine men, I turned
down that morning till he gave me
the grip "
"What grip?" demanded Blake.
"The grip of the United Orange
men's Brotherhood," roared the old;
man. "Didn't I wink at you, and
didn't I see it in your face that we
understood each other, and didn't I
say that was enough between friends,
and " t
"The grip I gave you," answered
Blake, "was that of the Alpha Omega
Mu fraternity. I had been told it
helped a man to get a position by giv
ing it. I thought you were a college
man." ,
Old Fagan stared at him in stupid
wonder. Then:
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