"Oh, dear!" she cried; "it's dreadful. I don't know what to do. It's all a mistake. Oh, 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 now, at least. But my sentiments remain the same," I concluded, "whatever name she has." "The divull they do!" said O'Halloran, with a grin. "Well, thin, the quicker ye cheenge yer sintimints, the betther. Me own Nora--she's not _Miss_ O'Halloran-an' lucky for me--she's somethin' betther--she's-MRS. O'HALLORAN!!!"