The Ban Dhu

Waikato Times, Volume 117, Issue 19564, 1 May 1935, Page 4

The Ban Dhu

By DESMOND LOUGH. (Author of “Judgment,” "The Wager," Etc., Etc.) A DELIGHTFUL LOVE STORY IN AN. UNUSUAL SETTING

SYNOPSIS. Sean Burke, trapping: rabbits, by accident catches a pet rabbit belonging- to Kathleen- MflcMorrougrh. She is enraged arid refuses to forgive him. She returns home to her grandmother, Cauth MacMorrough, who hates the Burkes for some mysterious reason. She makes Kathleen swear on the Skull of an ancient wolf that she will never love Sean Burke. There is some old legend connected with the skull which the grahdmother will not reveal. Lionel O’Hara and Mr Pr.estwich are in a club-room when word is brought to the latter that his steward, Munroe, has been dangerously wounded by some unknown assailant when near a curious limestone pinMCle, kiiown as The Witch’s Rock. . ~ That'rilg-ht Mr prestwlch, his daughter jtbhanna and Lionel, visit Munroe. while -they are there a stone is thrown through the window. RoUtid it is wrapped a bloodsmeared paper.

>• ... CHAPTER IV— (Continued.)

. ■■■ “Maybe it might then. ; 'Tls a queer place for a lone girl to be'walking' at this hour of the night. A bit too near the Witch's Hock. Oli, you were up there right enough, I saw you cornin’ down through the bracken* runnin’ you were too. \Vliat was it that was frightenin’ ye?’’ “Nothing. I can run if I choose.” “Aye, that’s so, hut I heard you singin’ first; then ye stopped an’ I thought- " he spdke Vdry slowly,” —I- thought I heard you and someone else talkin’. I was afeared for ye, Kathleen, you know what they say about that place.”

The girl Was silent* and Lionel saw her feet fidgeting with the fallen leaves.

"yVere ye talkin’ to anyone?” asked Sean with a ridW tone in Ills voice that showed the swift coming of anger.

“I’ll not be questioned by you,” retorted Kathleen* now calm again. “ 'Tis no business of yours, Sean Burke* what I do.” "So that’s the way of it? Well, you’re going to tell me before you go out of here*”

Sean made to grasp her arm, but she slipped aside and Sprang back amongst the trees, almost running idto Lionel as she did so.'

“Hold on there!” he shouted angrily as Burke came running after her. Kathleen started aside and uttered a little cry, for this meeting was Utterly unexpected. “Oho, So ’tvvas you tijen!” “Look here," said Lionel shafply, ‘I don’t liiioW anything about you and this ybuhg lady. 1 don’t know what yoU are to one another, if anything at all go, to avdid unpleasantness, I’ll tell you this milch. I Was out walking and I heard hbr singing at the stile Up there," he pointed towards the slope. “I spoke to her and asked her the liame of the song. After a few Words about it, she loft me.” The ending was lame, but Kathleen, looking full at Lionel, was silent. She Understood that he did not wish to speak of the strangest part of the story for some reason. Sean Burke was no fool, and now his wits were sharpened by the sting of jealousy. ' • “Runnin 1 she came,’ he -cried. “Would she be runnin’ If you treated her as she should be treated I” With clenched fists and teeth he movdd slowly towards Lionel. A fight between these two powerful young men seemed imminent. The girl made up her mind In an instant. She stepped between them, holding up her hand with an Imperious gesture. “Pity you think well of making a fool of yourself, Sean Burke," she said bitterly, “but 'tis that you’re doing. You said true I- ran away but 'twasn’t from that gentleman, signs by, he didn’t run away. He did what you nor anybody else in Knockarra would have done —he followed it!” “Why was it you Tan away then?’ demanded Burke, lowering his hands reluctantly. “ ‘Tis sdrry you may be if I tell

you." • "I’ll hear what you have to say, sad Sean doggedly, but his voice shook a little.

“I heard the Ban Dhu!” “Oh, my God!” “Now you know. You know what it means to meet the Ban Dhu?” “But I don’t,” broke in Lionel, “perhaps that accounts for my bravery, I expect it does,” he laughed to put the others at their ease for ho wanted greatly to learn morp of the mystery-whose fringe lie was only beginning to touch. “What is a Ban Dhu? Doesn’t it mean ‘white black?’ * " “That’s just what it does mean, said Sean, his .recent enmity all but forgotten. “There- arc few that ever see It, though some hears it now and then. Black and white it is, but we don’t like to name it for ’tis bad luck, they say, for anyone to have anything to do With It." “It seems to have given you a bit of a shock anyway," said Lionel with a smile.

“Tis nothin’ to laugh at for all your from Dublin," said Sean fiercely, “and Flk not have you laughin’ at mo neither.” Hostility was leaping up between them again lllce a flame. “You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Scan Burke,” broke in Kathleen sharply. “How was ho to know anything about tiio Ban Dhu and him a stranger?” “A stranger indeed,” said Burke in a quieter tone, “or -he wouldn’t have talked so; no, nor lie wouldn’t lmve been so ready to go huntin’ for trouble up by the Rock the way lie did." "I’m sure I didn’t mean to offend anyone,” replied Lionel; “as • Miss Kathleen says, I’m only a stranger. 1 came down with Mr Prestwlch to-day, as I am sure you know.”

“You got her name quick enough anyway,” said Burke suspiciously. “I told him, and why shouldn’t I?” snapped Kathleen sharply. Sean growled unintelligibly. “And now good-night to the two of you,” cried Kathleen, and she was' gone -through the shadows like the fairy sho was.

The young men eyed one another in silence ” for a few moments. Then Burke spoke. “That young lady—she belongs to hero. She's one of us. She’s best left alono by strangers. So is the Ban Dhu. Good-night.” Without waiting for an answer lie turned and walked swiftly away, but he did not follow the Fairy Child. After going fifty yards or so, lie turned into Ihc copse and disappeared. Lionel started up the slope again lo wards the Witch's Rock. He was interested and excited, but he felt little fear of the super natural. He had heard many legends in his time, but now this was different from such wild tales. There was hone and muscle behind the voice that laughed and tho blade that struck—of that lie was sure.

lie came quickly lo Hie' grassy clearing, fringed by bushes that lay

before the grey pinnacle. Just about hei’e,' Mu'nroe had been struck down. Looking ; this way and that, he advanced slowly, gripping his thick blackthorn by the ferule. A few little rustlings sounded near him, probably suburbanites from the big barren. At the lower side of the little grassplot the bushes grew close together* | very blade they looked in the shadow. | There, before them, something was lying on the ground, something like a I long sack—of Was it a body? . Lionel’s heal't was pounding hard ! enough', now. as JieWari; towards it, ' I-fe had : almost reached the object when the bUshef. beside It parted and a tall figure bursttinto open. Raising his stick O’Hara sprang .forward. ; .“Stop,'sir, : stop'it, it’s me 1” Sean Burke held up tils arm toward off a possible l blow, but Lionel, recognising' 1 him, ■l6wereri' v 'his stick. Sean was kneeling beside the flgUre before Lionel could do so

"My God, ’Tis Miss Johilal” It was indeed Johanna Prestwich. She Was alive at any fate, for she wriggled vigorously, and her eyes glearned wide above the gag that covered her mouth and nose. Her arms had been hurriedly tied by a rope wound round her body and tied at the ankles.

They tore the bonds from her in an instant.

Lional put his arm round her and raided her gently. Sean was about to assist but dropped his arm instantly when he saw the other's action. The sight was a comforting one to him* Johanna, ever strong nerved, sat up, rubbing her arms and face vigorously. “I’m greatly obliged to my two knights for rescuing a distressed maiden,” she said, her shaking voice belying her brave, words', “What in the world happened to you?” asked Lionel, glancing: suspiciously at Sean. lie remembered Instantly, however, that the-latter had a quite satisfactory alibi. “Are- you fit to tell us ? Who lied you dip like this?"

“That’s just what I don’t know,” replied Johanna, beginning to rub her ankles. “When you gave me the gobye this evening, Lionel —oh, yes you did, you know—you needn’t shake your head —call on me for advice If you wanted it later, you may remember —quiet the superior person—l de-. termined to do a little investigation on my own Account. I, can’t have beeh much behind you climbing up here to this rather rotten kind of place. Anyway, when I did arrive., you Weren’t here. Somebody else evidently -Was for biff! something 'thudded on my unfortunate noddle. 'Down I Went, all muzzy, but not quite tmoonscious. I couldn't kick, though, 'Gag-rope twisted round unfortunate me. Trussed up like a mummy, and that wfts that. The blighter was top elite to show up in front, so I have no idea wliat he is like. 1 know all abotit his muscles though. Of course, caught as I was, I 'couldn’t fight, but I fancy it wouldn’t have been much use. 1 know strength when I meet it, and I’m a pretty hefty-she-male myself." Johanna laughed rather hysterically as she finished her story. Her strong will was battling desperately against a breakdown, but suddenly her plucky attempt at bravado ended, her lips' quivered for an instant, and then, throwing herself on the grass, she sobbed unrestrainedly. In a few moments she had herself in hand again. Sitting up she dashed the tears from her eyes.

"I’m an ass,”-she -announced angrily, “-blithering dithering- ass! I’ll be even with the 'beast yet; tell no one that little Johanna wept salt tears of weakness. Have I your words of honour, my two knights?”

“Certainly, we’ll say nothing about that p-art of it,” promi-sed Lionel who understood her - and knew hovv very near -another breakdown she was again. “I know Sean will promise too.” Sean was greatly puzzled. He had never -seen or heard a woman go on like this before. He glanced hurriedly at Lionel for his -cue. -Lionel nodded slightly. ■ "Sure I’ll say nothin’ about it at all, miss; ’tis the brave girl you are an’ all."

“'Good lads I” then -after a .pause, “Thank you both very much.- You see I don’t want to -bother the Dad.” “How did you come here ?” . asked Lionel, turning to Sean. “Surely you went down the hill-after we parted?” “A -bit. . Then, to tell the truth, I came u-p after ye to see what you were at. I got hr the bushes ahead of you an’ There I saw .Miss Jonna lyin’ all of a heap just-before you did." . '

“I see. Well you were after the Ban Dhu, too, weren’t you?”.

"Not me!" cried Burke. "Oh no, not me!"

“You wouldn’t like to' join the hunt then?"- """ '.' "For God’S sake leave'the Ban Dhu alone, sir,” exclaimed Sean fervently. “•It’ll bring ye bad luck if ye don't, I’m tcllin’. yc!” “Wo must get Miss Prcslwieh.homc at all events! Gan you walk, Johanna, or -shall we carry you?" "I’ll walk. I’m a bit groggy after being Tied up, and my head aches a lillle, but if you two knights give me an arm each, we’ll make l'or the -ancestral hall With ihc distressed maiden.”

'They raised her and helped her slinky footsteps down the slope. Then suddenly, from the bushes above them, they -again o hat'd Hunt' thin, : husky cry uttering 'almost'Sean Burke’s very words: “Leave me alone, leave me alone to my work!”

They stood still. Lionel could sCe Scan crossing himself in the gloom, but his while lips made no sound. “Damn the thing,” muttered Lionel. “It seems to bo always watching us from behind ttic hustles.” “For God’s sake, sir, don’t say a word again it. Yon don’t know what it would do on us.” Then once more tho mocking laugh rang out. Then silence. (To be continued.!