Out of the West

Waikato Times, Volume 112, Issue 18806, 30 November 1932, Page 4

Out of the West

| SYNOPSIS. I inottier arc, through comparative P°'’9N j obliged to let furnished thoir oid ratn . ] seat, Inisroe llafl, In the West of iremm : I Tile letting is in the hands ot an agent | Joseph MaeDonagh, who llncls ,, ihe summer — a Mr and Mrs Silas Hiannon rich Americans, with one sou, who i=> u University in England. r Sheclagh and lier mother (with a ia , ourlte dog and pony) take, up r ? 3 ' tl r '' r a few miles away In the house ol » met- tennat farmer named Coolin. 1 Sheelagh learns of the love between is or. Coolin and Rory, the gardener at lnisio Riding past the ruins of Inisroe Abbey Sheelagh sees two men frantically digging. According to legend, in the Brounm of the Abbey largo quantities or Bold am silver were once burled, but In spite oi local faith in the legend, all attempts locate the treasure have been futile, unt of the men Is Larry Shaughnessy. inisroe’s most famous wastrel. Tho other 1. a stranger. Shortly arterwards Sheeigar meets Larry, but ho dentes ever dlggms In the grounds. Sheelagh visits the ruins but although sne saw the two men digging there not long ago, the ground v apparently untouched. Silas Brandon’s forebears were .risn and It Is tho desire to visit the home o his ancestors, wealthy where they wort poor, that Impels him to make the Journey. ills only son, Terence, Is at ox ford, and ts now expected home Tor tin Long Vacation. Looking out to sea rrom hts bedroon window one night Terry sees a boat betnf rowed along the shore. Next mornlnc bathing he sees this boat in a narrow inlet near the Abbey ruins. Going toward* the ruins ho meets two men (one Larn Shaughnessy) who engage him in talk and It Is only arterwards the idea come: to him that he had been purposely kep rrom entering the Abbey grounds. Sheelagh takes a ride on her pony pas' the gates of her ancestral home, and 1: seen by Terry. Riding home Sheelagh 13 accosted by I drunken foreigner, but Larry Shaughnessy comes to the rescue. Farmer Coolin meets with an neetden and has to stay in bed. Mrs Coolin cannot leave him, and Sheelagh offers to tak< her place with Nora at the market the following day. She poses as Nora’s cousin and wears an old red cloak, heavy shoe: and thick woollen stockings. CHAPTER XVIII. Sheelagh felt strangely happy a: she ran across the yard. She stil continued to wear the peasant clothes partly because they were so mucl more suitable for the work on tin farm, and perhaps also for thcii associations. Nora was very grateful for her proffered help. “I don’t like the look of tin weather,” she said. ‘‘lt’s 100 heavj : and close, and the sooner wc use the Srnilk tho' better, before it' all goes sour.'’ There had been two beautiful days since the visit to the market, hul afterwards a wet wind had persisted and the temperature was unusuallj warm. All that morning, and again in the afternoon, Sheelagh worked energetically. She was as eager as the farmer's daughter - to prevent the 9 waste of the milk and cream, and the | gloomy and depressing weather did I not tempt her out of doors. Towards j evening, however, the drizzle stopped ! and tho sun came out to hang gllsten- | irig gems on tho trees and tho j branches, and chase the shadows I away from the hillsides. Pauline came across to- the dairy and asked Sheelagh if she could spare the time to speak to her mother. Mrs Beaufort said that, as the weather had cleared up, it would be a good opportunity to take a note to MaeDonagh at Bosscarra. "It is rather Important,” she said, “although not exactly urgent. But you could ride Biddy. She is eating her head off in the stable, and the exercise would bo good for you as well." Sheelagh was glad of the opportunity. The dairy work was well in hand, and a run to Rossvarra would be very' enjoyable in the clean-washed air of the evening. “There is nothing to say," explained Airs Beaufort. “Just leave Ihe letter; in fact, if you don’t want to go so far bring it back and I’ll post it." “Oil, no, mother, I’ll be glad lo lake it; it will provide an object for going there.” Sheelagh took the letter and was on the way back lo tho dairy to speak to Nora before she changed for tho ride, when she heard tho now familiar sound of Terry Brandon’s car. lie was travelling rather slowly by tho farm when lie saw Sheelagh watching as lie passed the last outbuilding. lie slopped tlie car, and waved a cheery hand to her. A sudden resolution came to Shcelagli. She ran back into the house and snatched up the red cloak, then down to Hie gate and out into the road. “Hello, Miss Coolin!” called Terry, “what about a run?" “I wonder if you would mind taking me over lo Rossvarra?” she asked rather breathlessly. “Mother wants me to take a letter. I was going to ride, but it will be so much quicker if you ” For answer Terry pushed open the door of the car and grinned. “Your wishes are commands. I wondered if—cr—what a splendid coincidence! Now you’ll see what Buggins can do!" Sheelagh wondered what her aristocratic mother would say if she know of her impulsive action. She would perhaps call it unmaidenly and forward —if not foolish. But the girl looked at the young man by her side —t lie clean, healthy colour, the crinkly fair hair, the old pullover and grey llannel slacks—and knew there was nothing lo fear. He glanced at her admiringly, and their eyes met. “I say!” said Terry, his attention once more on the road ahead, “you look perfectly lopping in that, red—er —thing you’ve got on!’’ “Ocii! You’re the boy for blarney! You must lie Irish, after all! If I’d known you were coming along, I'd have dressed in proper dollies for motoring. Bui mother wants this idler delivered, and I hadn't lime when 1 saw you. It was hold of me lo ask— ’’ "You didn't ask.” proleslcd Terry, “I asked you. Besides, l don't 1 1 1 j 11 k it's safe for you In be alone on these mountain roads.” Sheelagh secretly agreed with him. lull, declared she, would have been quite safe. It was not market day, and it would not, he dark for about j three hours. Terry simply smiled, and contented I himself with a remark on the provi- | don Ila 1 nature of his arrival. The racing car covered the short, distance to Mossvarra in very quick lime, and as they went slowly into the little town Sheelagh asked Terry to stop when he saw the office hearing tile name of “Joseph Maellonagh, Estate Agent." “MaclionaglL" lie oxelainied. "lie j must do a- lot of business in these

BY Herbert Galway. (Author of "The Squire of Redesby,” "Fetters of Silk,” etc.) A Charming Irish Love Romance.

Paris. He’s the man my guv’no • t ifots Inisroe Hall from. He mus v | )c pretty wealthy. Do you knov if he is the actual owner of til ; house?" “I haven’t heard that lie is,” smiloi t Sheelagh, “but 1 don’t think so. believe he is simply the agent for til ‘ owner.” . -As the car came to a stop she burj ried to get out before Terry volun 1 leered to deliver the message. ■ I 2 would lie extremely awkward if Mac- > Donagh referred to her by name in hi: presence. ) “I shan’t bo a moment,” she sail ‘ as she pushed open the ridiculously j unnecessary door, and stepped acrosi j the narrow pavement to the ding; - office. | There was nobody there but a red- { headed youth of about' 19 years o , age, who was left in charge. “For Mr AlaeDonagh is ii?” he sail 5 as Sheelagh gave him ihe letter “He’s gone to a sale, and won’t hi r back lilt late.” j "There's no hurry. The answe: ■ wlil do to-morrow." , “Who will I be saying it’s from?’ asked the clerk with youthful subtleJ ty. lie would like to know the nami ’ -of the pretty farm girl. ! “The. letter explains ail that," re s plied Sheelagh, with a ravishing smile r “Will you be calling for ’the ans ’ wer to-morrow?" J “Calling?" Sheelagh forgot momentarily the character she reprel sented. “Oh, perhaps not-; perhap- ’ Air AtacDonagii will send it on—by j post.” Had Sheclagh looked hack as th< car moved away on her return jour- . ney, she might have seen the youns 3 cleric peering through tho semi ob- * seurily of the depressing wire blind y Ills eyes goggled as lie walked slow--5 ly back to the desk. “Now where have I seen that cai before ?” He stood gazing abstractedly at thi row of black japanned boxes on ; shelf, then knowledge came to hin ’ with the sight of one bearing the let--1 tens “I.II.” ’ "Oh,' yes, that's it. That’s when J I’ve seen it. it belongs to the ten- * ants of Inisroe Hall. And —that—mus he young Brandon!” He whistled from sheer astonishment as the tremendous fact dawnec , slowly upon him. J “And with that girl!” [ lie turned towards tho windov ' again, and looked into the sunny * street over Ihe top 'of tho short blind What ho hoped to see he could noi ’ quite conjecture, but lie gazed motionless for several long minute; ; while people passed and went , about their business just as though nothin! , extraordinary had happened. _ ■; He faced the interior again arm ’ sighed like a man condemned to lift [ imprisonment. Outside was the sun- ; light and beauty and happiness, while | here —lie wondered if llm girl woul.r call to-morrow for the answer to the | letter. “It seems a shame to get hack so ■soon,” remarked Terry, as they left Rossvarra behind. ' “.Mother will be glad,” said Shee- , lagli demurely. “But site didn't know you were going to ride both ways.” “indeed she did! She told me lo ride I" Terry Brandon risked a swerve as he took his eyes from tho road to look at his companion. “Told you to ride? Did your mother see me, or ?” Sheelagh laughed. “Sure there are other ways of getting to Rossvarra without waiting for a kind young man with a raoing car!” “Oh, I didn’t mean that. I—l didn’t know you had a car at the farm." “We haven’t. I was going to ride —anyway, it doesn’t matter.” Sheelagh broke off suddenly. She found her explanation liable to he embarrassing and dangerous if she hoped to conceal her real identity. “Even if you drove over in a trap, you would not do it in such good time. Suppose we turn lelt and go on to the mountain road away from home? Wo shall get back before dark,'and I’d love to see the sunset from the lop of Sleive Curran. Ixo heard such a lot about it- “ And you have to go all the way to Inisroe —is it? —in the dark?” she protested. “Not In the dark, even if that mattered,” lie replied. “Wc can watch the -sun go down over the sea, and then come hack, and I can lie home as well long before it's anything like dark.” , Sheelagh hesitated, hut as she was 'convinced she would be home again no later than if sho had ridden the pony to and from Rossvarra, she thanked Terry and accepted. Sleive Curran lies ten miles further away in the opposite direction to Inis-l-00. The road goes inland for some distance, and then becomes gradually steeper as it climbs the ridge of which Sleive Curran is the highest point. Sheelagh had never ho fore been on that road, and as Hie country slowly unfolded itself below her eyes its beauty held her spellbound. Bog and licalher-covered land, small farms and cultivated fields lay like a vast j patched carpet, held together with j long grey threads where the stony roads and tracks straggled in and out as though uncertain of their direction. Away in the. distance, beyond Rossvarra, was a single silver strand, apparently pushed through the patchwork behind Ihe distant hills, widening to a ribbon as it neared the green and while outline of the hay. to disappear suddenly into what, Slieeingh concluded to he the creek close by llm Abbey. “Those grey-looking stones must lie the ruins,” slm said, pointing to the green patch. “See the sun on 1110111 !' 5 , , .. Min- thrilled as she remembered Rio ~|,i legend or I lie falling shadows of the ancient trees, and fancied she could distinguish ilmm. “lint diil vnu ever see anything so beautiful as that?” asked Terry, looking out lo sea. . flip sun wu s rosliiuv on llio run of the world, throwing a golden pathway l„ (i M , very edge of Hie land. Tim sky above was a Idaze of colour—red. nirt . yellow, merging into palest green, ’which gradually became deeper IIS1 IS ip,, sun sank, until it was lost in the darkening blue ot llm approaching night. Mlmelagli’s eyes roved round llm lli'iiiameiil. iml as slm looked inland j slu- gave a cry of dismay. The. indigo blue, had become deep black, and sullen masses of angry clouds tumbled in ominous heaps as they slowly advanced over the mountains. (To he Continued.}