CHAPTER XXVIII.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 325, 15 December 1888, Page 5

CHAPTER XXVIII.

i <>( \i.l\ IH P.ol'l >- lII I'KUII ' T i : Bi,i'\\i:kv iHmmoie Head uwi Dundrum j Bay, on the coast of Lounty f)o\vn, there > is a little rocky point, which &eoms to lie ! continualh in the deep shadow ot the Mourne Mountains. Bairen ot vegetation, lashed by tho hetce sea waves, gloomy and lonely, and unentered, .-aye in the eaily ! morning, by the sun, it would seem to be i tho lasiTspot in Ireland to bo inhabited. i Yet, ab the junction of the point with the mainland, btood a losi^. low cabin, built of cobble-stones, and ha\ ins a thatched roof, ' and a tall, capacious chimney. It stood up on the iockh. Behind it wa.s a green garden patch, in which u tew late cabbage. Iwere seen. In fronL ot the dwelling weie low, jasged rocks, half covered with a drift < of »cfi-weeu. Upon these rocU- a sail-boat was diawn up, half out of watei. I Thio lonely cabin was owned and tenanted by tho JE'ogartys— l'elathes by marriage to Mro Fogavby, of Yew Cottage, Cloudalkin. The&e TTojrai ty-b were desciibed in the neighbourhood as a ' bad lot,' and the neighbours, of whom none lived within a mile, did them no injiinliue. At pie-ent theiamily consisted of only Rough Fogart} , as its head was called from his rude, rough manners, his wife and two or three sons who spent most of their timo in fishing. Ho had bons and daughters in Ameiicu.— indeed, all tho better or more ambitious member* of the family had emigrated from County Down some years befoie. Rough Pogarty v. a 1 - a man ot reckless habits and high Lemper, unscrupulous, dishonest. He had been a smuggler in his younger days but with the advance of year? and infirmities he had settled down to the life of a lr-herrnan. He owned a fishing smack, in which his sons were now absent. He, at the moment of his introduction to the | leader, wa 5 sitting out on the rocks, upon a pile of sea- weed, engaged in patching a torn sail. This \va<? on the afternoon of the day in which Tim Fogarty. on St. George's Channel with tho Lady Nora Kildare, revealed himself to her in all the hideousness of his evil nature— on the day also on which Lord O'Neil vainly sought for his young betrothed at Kingstown and at Black Hock. The afternoon was half gone when a little sloop, approaching from the southward, wore in toward the point. Rough Fogarty looked up from his work to watch hei' movements. ' She's not going up to the Bay,' he said to himself, with considerable intetest. ' Looks a& if she was making for the point, as I think she are ! She's a clean and trim sloop—no fisher ! "What is she after V There promised to be a speedy answer to the question, for tho strange sloop continued to wear toward the point, her sails full, and the spray Hying before her bow. Presently two figures could be distinguished in the little vessel— one of them apparently that of a .sailor, the other the figure of a young girl, slender and delicate, as was plainly seen when she rose up and stood looking at tho shore, her hand shading her eyes. This sloop was tho one Tim JTogarty had hired at Black ftock, and it was the Lady Nora Kildare and he, as the reader knows, who were now approaching the point. The little vessel came nearer, and nearer, and, a little later, Tim Fogarty hailed hi 3 kinsman on the shore, The latter rose up, answering the hail.

'I suppose you don't know me, Rough Fogarty,' called the fugitive, as the sloop drove in towards the shelter of tho point. * You haven't changed a mito since I saw you last. You wear well !' ' Well, [ swear you've got tho advantage of me," returned Rough Fogurty, with a puzzled .stave at the seeming sailor. 'It seems so,' faid Tim, with a laugh ; ' but just you ohango tho colour of my hair a little, or pull oil this here wig and board, and change this sailor toggery, and you might know me then. l"raps you couldn't remember nothing about tho smuggling trip on the Ann Doolan, neithor — ' Hough Fogarty's face lit up with a glow of recognition. His small grey eyes gleamed with pleas vi c. 'Tim Kogarty, asl'm alive!' he ejaculated. * This way, Tim Jus>t inside the p'inl. A\ hat's i\\\'i You're rigged so that j your own mother wouldn't know you. Beaks after you ':' Tim replied in the negative. ' Been after getting married, Tim ?' Tim laughed loudly. " Ooos she look like it V' he asked, pointing to the yountr Lady Nora's scornful •sorrow ing face. ' iSho's a highflyer, Rough -- too high tor me.' By this time the sloop had run into a place sheltered fiomthoswell. Tim dropped his anchor, and drow up tho rope by which the little row-boat was attached to the ?tct n of the sloop. * \Ve\e got to the -end of our journey tor the present, '. ady Nora,' he said, addressing hiscapthc. ' Lei me help you down into the boat." But the joung heiicss declined his na'Motanee, and clambered down into the boat alone, Tun Fogarty steadying it with )u& hand*. He followed l)ei into it, and i<>\\ed swiftly to the point The old man, Rough, was waiting to help them out on the lock-. l!ega\o his hand to the Lady N'urn, who availed hei^elf of it. shuddering As .she gained a looting on the slippeiy seaweed glanced toward fche cabin, and beheld a woman standing in ihe doorway. The &iL r ht ot one ot her own sex brought a clctun of hope to her heart. Old Rough surveyed the dainty figure of the young girl in it-, stylibh and handsome attiie, and he did not fail to remark her high-bred air, her look of hauteur and unrest, the jewelled rings on her white and taper fingers, and the watch at her belt. ' What game is this, Tim >' he a. e ked, with a signilicnnt glance at the Lady Nora. ' A little -.peculation," answeicd Tim. 'I'll tell you all aboui it What I want now is a quiet boarding - plare for this youny; lady, so Ibi ought her to you. Can you give her a good room ':' ' Tho best in the house,' said the old man wonderingly. ' And a lock on the door— on the outside ?' '] can Hk one. IS it a prisoner you've gob here, Tim, now ':' ' It's not much else,' replied Tim. 'But there's the old lady in the dooiway. We'll go up to tho cabin, and I'll give you your till of news.' He seized the arm of the young Lady Nota, and hurried her over tho sharp locks and shpperv weeds to the cabin. The old woman came out to meet thorn, her countenance indicative of smpiise. She was a worn and bent creature, gaunt of home, her sallow '•kin diawn tightly o\erhoi iaii;e bone>, Hoi c> es looked ont> fi om under heavy brow % as shacgy a^ those of her husband. She looked like one who had worked hard on insufficient and innutiitious food. She had an air of chronic discontent and lepining, and, indeed, most of her time was spent, in bowailing the hardships ot her lot, and the want ot even the comtoil--. of life. It may be imagined, then, with what en\ions oves the pooi old woman looked at ii } i o bi itjht \ onng lieim;, in dainty garments, wining over I ho locks low aid her. 'Another at wtoemt. ' »he muttcicd, htirely. k Bum them all ' J Late them ' And it was with, a glance of hatred she met tho Lady of Kilduro. She retieated into the- cabin op the \Witois jjppioached, and Tim luuried his captive in after her. ft \va» a long, low loom in whicL thc\ found thcnisches, with smoke blackenod wa'K, and but a >in»le ><m»ll window-. A fi to of diied seaweed was burning and smoking on the stone hearth, and over the fire hung a kettle of potatoes. Other pieparation« loi a meal thuie weie none. ' You don't know me, Ann, 1 suppose?' said Tim, good-natuiedly. 'No,' snapped the old woman, with an in|iued ait. ' J don't know you, nor Jdon t want to Rich folks have naught in coni- ■ inon with such as we '" 'But I m not rich, 4ini,' laughed Tim. k [ mean to bo. though, and you can be, too, if you'll do a^ 1 tell you. And so you don't know me, eh?— not know Tim Fogarty of Clondalkin '!' i The woman s> sullen face brightened. She came forwaid, extending her hand, with a muttered apology tor her uideness. 1 And the young lady V she asked, with a sidelong glance at the Lady Noia. 4 .She is the Lady Nora hildare !' Tho woman ctutsied humbly enough at the sound of the young girl's title. 4 She is 1 poor enough,' said Tim, as his captive seated herself wearily on a bench near the door, against v hich the old man caielcssly leaned. 'She's lost hoi estates up in Antrim, and hasn't a penny in tho woild, hairing what phe has in her pocket." 1 Vity they couldn't lose all their estates !' muttered the old woman. ' But.' continued Tim, 'she has a guardian who wants her out of the waj. Ho gave me 1 wenty pounds to put her overboaid, but I concluded she was worth more alive than dead. If the guardian wants to j get rid of her, it stands to iea?on 1 can geb a hold on him by keeping her alive. JL'\e got home idea? in my head to make money out of him and the new Earl of Kildare.' And 1 want your help." * You can have it,' assented old Rough. 'By paying for it,' added the old woman. ' What do you want of us ?' ' I've got to go back to Clondalkin to sco this Dublin lawyer. J want to leave tho young lady in safe hands ior a week, perhaps for weeks and months. You'll have to keep her close. Give her a ncab room, plenty to eat, and keep her safe, and I'll pay you five pounds a, week while she stays.' The sum appeared munificent, even princely, to tho old couple, 4 Five pounds a week !' said old Rough. ' Sure I'd pretty nigh sell my soul tor that !' ' We'll keep her as safe as a bird in a cage,' declared the old woman. ' I'll show you the room we'll give her.' She opened the door of an adjoining apartment. Tim looked in. It was small and ' neat, with a rude bedstead, a wooden floor, and a three-legged chair. It had no window, but a small aperture a few inches square, and unglazed, sufficed to admit air and light. Altogether Lho room was better aud cleaner, and moro suitable to his purpose, than Tim Fogarty expected. 'It will do,' he s>aid, with a satisfied sunile. ' Come, my lady. This is your prison. '

Resistance would have been folly. She could not struggle against three, and so the young lady Nora arose wearily and entered the room assigned Lo her. But if she wag outwardly submissive, she was not &o at heart. Already she was considering the idea of bribing this old couple to set her free. Bho had money and jewels on her person, enough to buy them ascoroof times over. It seemed almost as if Tim ITogarby rend her thoughts. As she parsed into the littlo inner room he said : ' I shall stay till night ; so you may give me my supper when you will, Ann. The sooner the bettor.' '1 havo a fish in the crate," said old Rough. And he departed to get it. The old woman followed Mm to «el sin armful of dry weed to lcplcnish her hie. Tim Kogaity pushed open the door of the littlo room, intruding 1 him&elf into the Lady "Nora's presence, and closed the door behind him. elt you please, Lady Nota,' ho said, fixing hi-, evil eyes full upon her, ' i want .■your puise. It's no good to cry out. Old Rough and his wife are down on the beach, out of earshot/ ' You cannot ha\e it," an.swered the Lady 2s r oia, with unexpected &pirifc. '•Shall I take ib V he asked, appioaching her roughly. 'It it's to be a tight, ue'll see which will win.' As the question had 1 evolved itself thus into one ot bruto violence, the young girl drew out hor purso silently, and gave it to him. What, else could bho do . ' Your watch and chain,' demanded the i uih;m. The»e we) e al-o yielded. ' Yout iing= and brooch. Tho young girl hesitated. Mic Intoned, but id vain, for the sound of ictui iihilt 1 -. But" none were heard. Noting her hesitation, Tim Kogarty ad vanced nenier to hex with a giim and .tlmo^t mmdcious look. Hu c mglit. in his iron gia&p one of her .small hands ; but she w reached itfiom him, and in a panic of. tei ror loosened her brooch, dtopping it and her i ings into his great red hand. 'Have you any moio valuables.' 1 asked the rullian. The girl shook her head. 'Then >ou can't bribe your way out," Siiid Fogarty. ' This speculation is turning out well for me. There's no danger of your getting free oefoic my return.' He pub her purse and iewelluy in his peckets, and went out into the larger room. A frugal supper was cooked and served. Tim l'ogarty told to his appieciative audience the story of hi^> advcntuieo in and escape from Australia. Ho promised thorn money, and completely won them over to his intcie^ls. A fastening— a simple wooden bar fitting: into iron lestb \va.s de\ lsed for the door of the prisoner's room, which opened outward, and was pub in operation ; and about dusk Tim Fogdvty, ■nell pleased with tho tieasmea in his pockets and his pecuniary prospects, set sail on his letuin to Dublin. And the poor young Lady Noia, her high conrairc deserting her at last, gave herself up to the icalisation of tho full horrois of her position. j