THE CAPTAIN'S STORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6948, 23 February 1884, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE CAPTAIN'S STORY.

We had been arguing, Roger and I, as was our wont whenever we met, on half-a-dozen different subjects—last and fiercest on Irish misgovernment and Irish discontent. I was a fervid upholder of Home Rule, with strong opinions on the Land Queetion. .Roger's wonted antipathy to all things Hibernian was then intensified by the fact of his regiment being under orders for the West of Ireland, with the prospect of dirty work before it. "I'll give in, Beaty," he said at last. " You and Gladstone together are too much for any man. Here's tea. Shall I tell you' a story while you make it ?" "An Irish ono ?"' " How else could I count on your attention for a moment V" "True?" " So the man says who told it to me." Roger loaned back in his chair and gazed meditatively into the fire for a few moments. The brief March twilight deepened and deepened into "blind man's holiday," the witching moment for story-telling. I chose Roger's favourite tea-cup—old Li verpool ware, big, ugly, and precious—placed it within his reach, brimful, steaming, and fragraut,' and then nestled down cosily amongst cushions' to listen to his story. It ran very niuch as follows :— !^'j"'i. ; .;-j , >J: " My hero—let's call him OVNeil, that's far* enough from the real thing—was one of our favour tenant-farmers, with as pretty a little holding as you could wish to see, Ulenduig by name. It lay in a green little valley, shut out from the world by gently rising hills, on the western slope of one of which the grey old farmhouse was perched. " Barry O'Neil was a handsome, bright young fellow, popular far and near; a bold

rider, , a good shot, and a clever farmer ; and when it was known that. he. had gone to England a-wooing, not a in theoountry round, but "wished him:! the:.beat'; of lack, ' More power to him;"". ;:; ?\?-'if : "!.?:j-''i"?~"> ' • : ''He brought his pretty: young one sunny October evening." :■ ' : '-ri'y'-J ?',r •■-'■" The hills were-""golden'''.'with- : gbrse/''pr royal ; ..with;|:pnrple t * 'heatheri !#A'triumphal arch, with :'Cead miUefailtfie'', in dabliac, spanned the 'road whcfeV- it 'commenced to ascend. from?. the ; yiUaVeito the , liouse.. Half. the village: was ; :6h' foot;'running beside the carriage, shouting a ! \welc6mej ; andvstrewing the/.bride'e.'patli': with?, flowery'-coznplimenta ; the bther':,half:was .congregated'.inthebiß farm-house... kitchen^.? ,; ?where: : ?''Gracie , ;.yand' Sheelab,; the.: two servant.-girls;.f were busy dispensing;:? the; bit? and all comers, in honour of .the day. _,-..,■; ~- ! . ;■.■;: >■■?'■"?'■■:?'*'. housewereV.ablaze-.vJithsunset!:red;... :A.' : big: myrtle; l tree ■shadowed: Vtbe: :r porchV : andjia paa3ioh;flbwer; T climbed ,up ; :lto;;the,. chimney; . Btacks;..a fuchsia .hedge:sheltered the garden; , ' where;.: all .sorts 6f. s\veet-smelling,~ old?; fashioned .flowers ..and : ;herba. .ran.. wild;. . Gfacie , an^bh , eelahicam^ l .smlibg:teV6p'en":the;; door'; then., .the crpwdedi /round tfte carriage.^ vWith:.hes|rty wir.ihtbi.and.ready/cbmpliments;:/ :y .■";lsab;el. b'jNeil, fresh, irbm manufacturing! town, from surroundings of idirt.-Bmoke; noise, ugliness;, and richeSf from? .the'.';rpugh. greeting's, :if any;.of the .factory: ;.haihdai: an>l' the oppressive: splendours of .the/ /prcrapierpus .mill-bWners, ifplt as if she; were? ;;beginning,:Jifeanewin another riot. : a , .better;.:at:any rate a cleaner, .and kinder: : .o'ne~. ... ::'!.She closed, her eyps that night full :6f; happy thoughts*, and slept the .dreaihless. 'sleep of wholesome fatigue. . : ■■. "SHe did' not kno\y what hour it was .:when.she ; awoke,, and was /at firat perplexed by her strange surroundings, so much s6j, rthat/she.sprang: put .of-'becLand rushed' to. the. ■■ jvindow before she quite knew what she was, ■doing;. Xbhpr surprise, the ground was white, with snow.. "It. was bright moonlight, almost as light , ;*s day.. She could see toe yard, with. some, outbuildings and a great tiir.f stack in one : bor.ner,. all covered deep with. snow. : ■; "A trail of black footmarks grossed the . yard. ' Barry,'. she called, at: first gently, tjhen louder. ' Barry i' No answer. "She. ibpked; his. place, was empty, and,, while, she Btppd shivering with terror, a voice clpae'by whispered clearly : ■ ■*'' Fly ! Fbr your' i'i'fg—tjy!'' : . "She screamed, struggling for breath, flupg.her atnis in the air, and fell senseless across the; bed.. ; . " T:he . room was full pf warm sunshine .When,she. unclosed her eyes again. Barrjr's arms were, .round her, and Barry's kind, ihandspme face, full of dismay and grief; bent, [ oyer her, tJ.racie and Shee'lah were hovering; ■ about with vociferous plaints in woebegone Irieb. i "'WTy darling, what wan it? A bad? dream?' ?Barry aaked,; but she turned faint and sick at the and never ■■ recurred to it. "Theterrors of that night gradually faded from her remembrance* as the cares and experiences of her new life filled ail her time apd : thoughts. Mrs, O'Neii >vas a, highr spirited, intelligent .little given to morbid fancies, and bent on filling, worthily [ iier placoin the world, whateveri.tmight.be.: Everything about her was. very strange and: perplexing at:firßt ; ; the want, of near hefgh:. bours of her own position in society, the ■universal deference and. undisguised admiratipn she encountered.at every .turn,.combined.. - with ontir£ disregard of her wishes or flat disobedience to her orders;; the dirt, the squalor,' the lavieh hospitality, the grace, poetic sentiment, mendacity, geoerosity, and. brutality of her. people, all bewildered Lancashire. Isabel .unspeakably: However* she; had tact, gppd temper; and determination enough tp carry her through her difficulties, .Snd?cpntented he.rseif with.doing her utmost ,i.n:her, own immediate, sphere. Her garden, her dairy, her poultry yard were her pride' . and glbryi She ran singing old farm-house, brightening up the low dark' .room with eirafty little' touciies p£ .decoration and trying, to; instil, orderly ■ : English: «:ays. into Gracie and Sheelah, and bewitching thorn by her, clever devices and pretty graoious ways, or tramped sturdily; across, the.stubble by Barry's side.discussing ..vdVainagCi or improved farm. im- ; .plements -is-il she: had been born to the work.. "At:.first she tried Visiting, the;, .cottage, regulariyi but heire was ati : liiieipected stuuibiing-block in !her way. She was a Brptestant; the only on 6 in Glentluig, and ibetween her and her Irish Komainist rieigh:.bpurs, as Thackeray-says; ' tb.e Bpjhe \yater : still tuns.. . No ayerige; .English mind can \ conceive the bitterness: and hatred which still. ' prevails in come of the more remote and uncivilised regions between the holders of the, two creeds animosity of the Irish Pathplicj as an article of bis faith,, being, a trifle the more virulent and openly manifested. .: "Isabel soon guessed the meaning of the remarke. in. Irish shouted -after her by the : in the one dirty street of 'the town;' 1 and was calnily inditferent to the fact that ; thesick person who rained down noisy bless■ingeon her headfor herkindnessj most.'likely I crossed himself and spat after her before she. was well but of the cabin. She somehow ex- ; pected a trifle: more tolerance apd -culture from, the parish prieetj not understanding how siiuht. a shade of superficia;! education: distinguishes the peasant priest from his ~'flo'cfc, ' '. . ' ' " i ''.Father Garraphty, who at' first :hpped fpr. a convert, seeing her Sunday after Sunday ait Barry's, side in tUe little chapel in the dale,, finding: his expectations yaiij;. preached,a,ser- ' rnph: one day that set Barry's ears and fingers α-tingling, and sent Isabel, ihencefbrward I trudging steadily over the. shoulder of. the. I hill, to church at Ballynacrpss. After thatj. : Father Garragbty confined hie notice to her i tp blackly scowling wheii; they met, ancl: shouldering her off the narrow pavement into the gutter it she inadvertently gave him the chance. Nevertheless the autumn and winter passed .happily away. Then came »lpig, ■ ■ coldj stbrmy spring; The weatherwise. looked gibbiny and predicted a bad potato year., "Kain, riiiUi Vain : ; not tho soft, grabipue, timely fall that giaddena the farmer's hearty swelling the seed in the ground, and, coatiDg thehillsiil.es with, aoft green,, but a pitiless,, drenching downpour;, that rilled the furrows and rotted the ro_ot crops; brought disease, in the fbld and blight in the. field, and took, the .heart put of all farm wprk. " Glendujg prospered fairly, but the. eurrbundins. gloom waia contagious. "Nothiug. waa talked about but 'potato] .blighti , ' theifarhiheyear,' ' the sickness/iand , then, by the uiual fatality,. >' English; niisgb- J yernmeht,' '" Ireland for the Irish,' 'the curse , : of the Saxon, rule,'and so on. : ' ■ Isabel; no longer heard jokiiig and laughter in the big kit.ulien (always .haunted, by B-j '■dweiler on the tlireshbld' in the .stiape of a ppd.lari. Pr a beggar pf : spine tiouj,:,but, instead, she woiild fibd thei girls! i and. the newcomer mysteriously , ' cciiloguihg 1 over the fire, and Sheelah and tjracie would >; go about looking scared but elate in the pps- ■ eesaipn of some; awful secret. . "Then came rumours of midnight:,gather-. ings on the hills:: ■■■pf pikes brought ititp the town Concealed in loads of tuff ;. of threatening letters to neighhouring lahd-owner3 : ; lastly, of- a regiment from. Dublin cpmiiig tp PSPP.py the lpng-diaused barracks on. the Ballynacrpss rpad. ".fiarry only laughejJ at the stories , >yhicli? .Isabel repeated, to him—talked! her out of : her terrors; she was delicate and. nervous: just then—and tbok her to pall on. the; officers' wives who, had accompanied their . husbands to Ballynacrpss; ■'''■The're? were three? in ?pleasant: women, grumbling terribly-at being? senttp such; a desolate -region'), but prepared to iiiake the best of all they fburicl there. ?They made much of Isabel, cheered, her and .her, so. that the shorit- 1 !— too sliort^; sumtner sped rapidly .by.. Then came.wep.ks : of wild weather, closing.in Glenduig-frdm.the wprld as with prison walls, and then on. one grey November morning 'cahie Isabel's little, white,.wailing babyspn; ■ v . ■"'I: wonder what' Mrs; Fairfax will say to him,' said Isabel in. the pride of her heart, . when the mite in quesiipnjw.as about a week; ' old; 'I suppose she will have heard abbiit. .hirri.' .; "Barry was silent. '"''■fiae she. ;been" here sincej or Mrs. .Leslie.:?' , : ■ '. ..■■■, ■• ?''JBarry stirred, up tj^eifire,:making? a ■little.-. .commotion: amongst the wdpd; ashes; .. ■'' ; .VYou. l werei'tpp. ill .ip; eee them,-.-Belle;-..- , idarling : ;,,;'Xhey/.camei. jf ;^h,^l?atn?:, .sprry?! v, ?Then?,they:?didSg'et , ' leavej(after,all!;?' ■■ ■ ■■■ ■■■ ■ ■„ vj- , -:-.-:- .. f .\-''.f \ ;^^^^Not:;?e l xnotly,^;^r^yV,. : falterecl.,^: , 'Mrs■.■! Dyer has gone'pn aivisitl to iEnglaiid; and MreV'Leslie.had.to'go on.business to Dublin, ; so it would have been dull for Mrs. Fairfax to stay here by! herself—and didn't agree with the children—and so—' " ; "•"' .! "T understand,' interrupted Isabel quietly.;^'MajorVLealie got" alarmed,: and

tent his wife out of danger. He said he should—' "■No, no! don't get frightened, Belle, dearest. Leslie is a nervous old woman, and Fairfax and Dyer no better. Anyhow, you're safe !' blundered poor Barry, dismayed at having let out the truth ; but' Isabel seemed to pay little heed to his news, and he hoped she had forgotten it. .-•-:-." Early frosts followed the drenching rains, and she appeared content to remain quiet in the cosy warmth and brightness of her own room, tended by the funniest of little old Irish "nurses.' , * , V '■'* : '*i'"'"' '' ''■" '"' ' '■ '■fj '" Biddy Keary looked old as the hills, and as brown and hard as bog oak, with a little .shrivelled face like a Normandy pippin and a -big white cap with flapping frills. . , :s«"She trotted about as lightly as a young girl/ and was excellent company. Isabel had many a-laugh over her comicaP stories, and she was , brimful of quaint sayings and old legends.; ; ; She would settle Isabel and the baby'cbmfortably,' and then sitting on a low ;;'creepy' before the tire,.hugging her elbows Jin default of baby, would swing backwards rand'forwardsV'with her bright little eyes, as 'quick; as/afmouse's, .fixed on Isabel, -who ilistenedi:; fairly !■ by the , weird interest-of .the fold;, woman's 'talk. / It was" "gruesome enough at times, chiefly when Barry , ; was ont of.hearing^!- ; .:.' ; .,;;ji:/^;:';/,-:- -'■) ■:^^.. , ■■ :'.; ; '':The , little'.pld.woman, had played her own . small;-, pa^m'Jthe^histbry^pf-.i'the' troubles,''meaiubgit||&.4* ,, stv , years''<of. , !the' last centnry, : ;and : toW"how she; weesh'yxolleen as she was, :hadbarHed;the yeomanry and carried a warn-/ .abgi.toWolfe Tone''when he was in hiding.'-..v , , .''She had;;:seen: 'Lord Edward',.and: his lpyely;''Syife < ;and:iater on.had helped to make, greenT cockades;,for the Peep. o'. Day > : Boys,! whoi : '^ura'ed:i. : and . the English;-troops;; in;: their^^ibarracka v i; Her talk was;of;strapgeVnamee ,to Isabel—Shanavesti arid=Caravats and Dnited-Iriahmen.-•;;.-,.* An' it : marching out wid their bigiblack ;flag,.with : thel , ''.Bloody Crosa" and "Murther W.ithbut Sin": (and that's Prothee- ■ 'twit;-murtherjSufe) on iit. V ;An' ; they, tuk the and all ■and held' them, , wid a pike; beforehand a pike behindj over the bridge till- they'd:say^an Aye., and then dhropt them into the Slaney ■■■'. to: diej ;asy; ; r;'.V,v AnV: it's meeself remimbere Father; Cl'nohv an'. , his big Tyhite .horse, widj -the .scimetar at .his, '"■ side; 'and ,, the: ■•> gbipel" that/ would 'turn :a ;Prpte'stant v ;bullet, "round; his 1 neck—an' ; Fattier Jbbn'wid;the:big-*horsewhip, and,it ! wae-.he kep' on'-lathering.the boys when they I wouldn't facei the:yeomanry,?and'those murtherihg;'villiane,! of, Gromweirbn 2fcnd;eb on; and; on the old crpne: woald:iramble.thrbugh..the iideous Isabel, shivered :and s ]turned ; faint, when:she would drop ihtp-'a : crbon:of some queer old, ; ballad, or jumj) up,:'Bnd)bustleabpiit the baby wittisomecomical chatter that sot baby andmbther.lftughingtbgetherV' " .J." : "V\/:P : . . /.x.' , " :, Isabei:,felt sorry .and yetreiieved .JThen she; departed a;mbnth later to her home some-' : Where to the post; ipf,' toiher^delighfc I Then came snpjy,- softly falling, never thawing;. .dee , p , etimgj!imperceptibly'py'er''th , e i 'bind^" v: - -\ : .' '"An. jnvitatipn )jp, dinner at.the , barracks; Is3beli' said' Barry pne.day. ' I shan't gb.' ■ ''■•■' '' - "'■."■■■■■,:: r ; V! -iv.-.;^^- " 'It's Bad riding at night.noiy.; 'There's, a tnppp, but. if it. should turn. :.s,tprmyi : I, I shouldn!t get home.'" ' ' ' ' ! " , ,5', , . , . , , :;!"./' i; --■.■■',' , '; *'' 'Major wanteyputo stay all higlit.. Do, Barry. S.ouJye"' ibpen moping'; here;: with. irie'V. : lpng.■ enough.. 1 ; I. v don't want ;: you, and G6h!. : tbe .beauty,^^;dpesh't...;;He^ban, ! ;take.care pfime' quite welleidpughnow. 7 .' -, '''Ldbn't like'4eaying ypiii'; . " ... •''.",.,) " ' Why, what,: ails,:-'me'?■'.",'i;\;cahVrunV.-alls pyer the place now, should /have';beeh 'down thejgien long: : \agp,-butl Bnpwi .Do gbj; v Barry dear. , '. ..... '/ ■■■'.-.'.. ' ' '.;'. "So. off: .Barry rpde,,l6pkihg : Vback:..arid) wayiri.t;: his :laßt,:.turnibver;the ; Bhouid.er of.'the:ihill, .andj'lsabel- saw biriigb. gaily.ehpiigh.: " ; ,; . -' : ./,-.'.. !■:.;'.■.•*. : V .'■'.'.'.'■ V . 'SStie'-Dusied'h^ ;laE(t.:pbßaible; theii-;Gri-;ie., and/she; : had ..a ; grand.:functipin ;ofPb ting:.Constautihef,BarTy ; '(j'Neil.lEsq,,. to.bed : in a.,queer/'slittlp; wooden:;cradle;.;that' : :,had: been a tight .fitjj'for his;-father: beforevbim.. isabel:Saw';herself "to: the: barring andboltirig of, the. 'heavy (shutters!' arid doors,'-'/and then . retiredlito lier v ;ippia,npt to sleep, however. ; She; felt restless (andvoyeir-excitedi''j"ahcl■■ sat dpwn'reaplutely: to read'horself sleepy. She burhedbuti her fire sank low,'and,the cold . rpiwed : Ker ; withfaJsiart;; iThestapbiihad got ■ : r.ound.'toKeriWindbw.and filled her ; rpp'in : with( chiliy : 'ibrightneßSi. , ■■■~■.;■■;■ .'.'.J.'.J ! S"'"'s-.'{ : that'lay'beybrid'ithe darkjftie'pf'the garden-; : hedge..wben:;she. : suddenly^^.became, a ware of a stir among: the. low range.of. bhtbuildiugs, ; beneathVher window. A;',,track;.'of dark foot- • mai-k3 ;1 pd plainly aci;pss the,- yard to the big . peat./stack. in:";the -"cprneri,: aiad, : .watching keenly, :slie. co^^ figures; clustered; beneath 7 iti .'-..■;■. ")■' £-':i' r '- : '-"'''■ : '• While.?he.-watched;, two of:vthem:::Btblei put, the' shadow ;bf the 6ut.bunyings.diiajppeared-rpund.thei cpraecipfi the .house; ..iblack.. , .figures;.caine ; and went;: till the original group was increased to : a crowd ■that'mightinnmber.tH'en^ "'They will 'attack us!'':'They ; ::do; : :.ribt/ : know. 'Barry is away ;;-if, hereturns they..wiir kilihim!'flashed.iuocesaiyely through Isabel's niiiid; sharp :anid; clear 'sb if,. y a. ypicethad spoken in her ear; and then fuelled across:; her-memory thedrearnof bier;, first''.-night.in Glenduig.: '' E!ljr-.i' , For. your life^fly A' iiapg. again in her'ears/ ",' :, ' '> :, ; : ' "."■ "She haetily/ciothed, herself in her.■warmest■' P'rapa.iifted.aleepy little! bed;/ . arid with:-'a long crib blanket^-jgirdedVhim/'.tp; her breast, and then,, guided''byTsome:!surp Instinct for of a •-certairity. ,::deliberate, thought was impossible tp <: /her from, her room. to. the ; prie: window: (where.; ogress little'.c'asetnent"in; a corner of the atairca'se|;lppening::oyerVthe. eioping roof; of a shed;, buteid.e, ; Clt/was in: shadow,. and. by some bleased:..chance K un-, ; watclied. She-dared'not lpse'time ; .in'rotieing, Gracie. and:,Sheelah/in :remoteValeepirig. room. .'E'yen.-.ae she'slippedirbiri the window: 1 a, he.stv.y blow; fell on tlio front! door:, \She,, droppedironi the ropf^^phi'to'asnb.wbank'fiand, , Bed. , ■ ■•■'■■ i ?'- r v" : ':- ; ,;': , '. : : : :-". , ■■'-.^ '. ''Qhj tpil.andthe'terror'brthat;: struggle .up-hill throngH-the'deep snow with : heriheayy..burden. ■ She.-knew,..the'r.oad. well, 1 but .all tracks were --.obliterated'.' ; .in,. ,; . the: uhi'yersal winiteness; A- low wall of. rpugh;' stpnee, her : ',tiU-she.came.' put on thesiibrilder ;pf the. the -very isppb, ;she rememberedi wherer:Barry '.had. turnedfor his laat look :"ai her;. -.Out shecame into the :bright hiopnlighti The : sound "of blovrs end:.angry shouts, reached, .her j ears, ''and , 46oklDg\dpwn.';gn: ,, &lißn4uig l ,,,, Blie'''jßawlthe i ' hpuße,Burrpunded;by a- nibb of dark figures.,. Stories :■ Were:- flying arid torches. blazing, and aa ah.e'aitbpdopariicrstrictenii one of the crowd;! and theri.mbreiiSeparated themselves from the. ■-re's't'; and:witKa/fierce -yell came :: raping up. the.'hill-towards'herv" ■■/■■■ r :*■*.'' ■■;;;/: : ■■'■■:- "•: "The. poor, hunted. ;ere»ture.'.;fled,T-fshe', never .krigw hpW-valorig; itU'ja rough, naduntain ; r'oad;. ' ' : : ;\:,:''v- : ; ;'"'..,. : ;i,, "The moon; blßzed Cruelly ?ibright. : The;. sborits arid savage 'yells: drew; nearer arid ! near. On brie,'sidej.pf-ihen'wks.'tne'steep'slope'.' , of'.'.the rilpuntainy down which .she : dared..riot:: venture with iher boy■■;;; -pii; tbe/'pthie'r, the fpugh wall; that,, while, it marked/ the way; shut, put ;aii:chance-of ; escape for her on that';; Bide.- ii .S i he..ran , ;a'ndvrab ,^.'dpwnhiU,, ;noWj''as , 'B , he'.; l gainea. bniher , .pursuers. At-last cameagap ; she; might creep into.the'.shSdpw of;the. .wall, perhapa-ir-f bfrun farther'she could riot. 'And npwr—by Heayeri's '.mercy-frcame, ",-a. black cloud. She' flung- :herself./ over the .The thiripruet.pf snow which cpyereij a. drain? gave away;; and ahe ;fell in, .with'a heavy mass vpf , the: sripw-bank crumbling,dpwn.:over:heri. . ..' . J "Hbjiy It-aeeiried.'-warm(and!safe under .the.'snow^and. , ahe.' rnighi'.haye ; dozed.herilife!,away, had not i little Gpu ■■. i s , tirred;.'.-with;' i :a:>sharp, , '' , cry;. likeV:!i \ little; h'ui-6 birdi" JSheVi-ByeQ/rin ■ falling,;:had'; he lay snug; , eripugh: /till- some Smelting ,Bnpw:.chilled!arid ; woke.liirn;/::!', : ,' ' ■'■■■;■-■■■;" ■ ,^She}listeried- was ■ still i' '.tli'en ' :dragged':her"aching,,bruisedSlimbs togetrier and,shbbk^hereelf'clearlpf sthe: snowV;;.: She bank .and peeped af'pun'd//fearfully,\then. ventured ! tb.the : gap..TKefrpad as.far.as she;could 1 -seeWas .deserted ; sojvtremblirjg and faint, with little at!her breast, ahe stumbled on, groping her : way-by ?: the/friendly wall , till, arriye'diat'the.barrack gate, she had just life enough left to; give one.feeble call of ' Barry ! ■Barry.-!N before ahe sank an insensible heap theifeet ofi the astouiahed sentry.-.. ■;/'i'Five"-'""iininute's'': : '"mo , re : ''''and she was in safety. , 'Barry, moved by I don't know what foreboding of '■ ill, had suddenly resolved to return; that' night : at all hazards, and was mounting his horsu in the burraok-yard when hie wife's voice reached his ears. 2'f " He waited to see her safe in the care of some of the friendly soldiers' wives and the regimental surgeon, and then joined the party that with Captain Fairfax were starting for Glenduig. •'■■ f '■"•■■■

' "He wnlked first, tracking hei' poor h*lfr>. ing little footprints through the ariow, an* told many a time after how his heart stood, still when;, at that gap in the rough stone wall, they came upon a crowd of following steps that collected and dispersed within a yard of the spot where hie wife and child lay concealed by the blesaed snow. " They reached Glenduig only to find the big turf stack slowly burning with a white reek in the grey light of dawn. His cattle had been driven from their stills, maimed 01 killed outright; his big barn demolished, and when they reached his house door they found it beaten in—the poor girl Gracie lying face downward on the doorstep, shot by mistake, they supposed—and 9 threatening notice from ' Eory of the Hills' fastened with a knife to the doorpost. , /-: " Barry looked his last that day on Glenduig. :, He gave up his land and took his wife back",to her : own people. Neither could think of their Irish days without a shudder for yeare to pome, and at last he accepted the offer of one of her relatives to join him in business, and ended his days a Lancashire 1 ' **/■-' : V:fHere'!Rqgei;'s'Btot7' v 'eame''td'an end; bat I, (womanlike,'would still know more. : ,'>■;;',' What had the O'Neil's done, Roger?" "» ; l..''How can I: te11?.,/:They" never knew. Paid the rent, or refaeed to join some blackguardly secret brotherhood most likely." ':.■" What becamei!of the: baby!" I asked,' .UkeV'VJthe" Cheshire Cat.''<;;;f : "-:: ;; " ' ■ is' ; ;our,senibrrMajbr, and goea to Ireland in coininmridof the;! regiment next jFriday'!^4^empleßar^^'vv;r;^. : : V;v ;., .■,"'" '■ v :'- 1 "r-