The Ban Dhu.

Waikato Times, Volume 117, Issue 18589, 30 May 1935, Page 4

The Ban Dhu.

CHAPTER XXV. Would Johanna’s hope that the Fairy Child would bring them luck he fulfilled? All three felt that their quest was drawing to a close, for good or ill.

Sean Burke trudged behind them as Johanna told Kathleen all the little •she knew. His eyes eagerly watched the small . figure . beside Johanna’s strapping one.. If Katherine had turned round she would surely have read their message. It was better she did not, she was not ripe for it yet. Some of the old enmity clung to her, but, woman-like, the oath she had taken was rather a point in his favour, that and the gleam of light that had brightened the wolf’s skull as she made it.

“And now, Kathleen,” said Johanna, "you know as much as we do. Where should we go to look for him? It may be all right, of course; he may have gone for a walk and forgot the time.” That was a possibility to which she clung; if it had been her 'Case she might have wandered on and on, thinking of him. “But I don’t believe he did,” she added with a sudden gust of fear, “something must have happened to him. I’m afraid, oh, I'm afraid 1" “We’ll go to the Witch’s Rock,” said Kathleen with decision. Her grandmother’s story had not been told in vain. Her calm assurance did something to sooth the big, strapping girl.

Sean Burke said nothing, but gripped his hedge-clipper more tightly. “Lead on, little mascot,” said Johanna with an attempt at gaiety. “We follow.”

The long hidden opening was now easy to find. Mrs MacMorrough’s fall and Lionel’s tearing aside of the branches gave away the long kept secret.

“He’s gone In there,” said Kathleen. “Then we must follow him," replied Johanna. She never thought of questioning Kathleen’s word. “Wait, Miss Jonna," said Sean, as •she went forward eagerly. "It’ll be dark in there without a light or nothing ”

“.How stupid of me 1 i’ll run back to the house and get candles.’ “I’ll go, miss." “I’ll get them quicker. I know where they are. You stay here with Kathleen.” Johanna knew nothing of their . strained relations. Before Sean could protest, she had hurried away. Hie sat down, and, without looking at his companion, began to behead weeds with his chopper. She watched him for a time in silence. He felt her eyes on him, and looked up. “Are ye never goin’ "to forgive mo ■over that bit of a rabbit? ’Tis all right now, Isn’t it?" “Blackie is all right.” “Is that all you have agin me, Kathleen?” “Isn’t it enough?” ■She spoke ' falteringly, not knowing whither she was drifting. "Only a bit of an ould black rabbit,” “Blackie isn’t old,” fenced the girl. “A bit of a young rabbit, then.” “You nearly killed him, and you ‘hurt him anyway."

"There’s many a one gets hurted and Is none the worse for it.” He was slaying bracken again savagely. “Oh, there’s nothing to say.” Then, “There’s bad blood between our families, you know, Sean.” “Aye, Ivo heard tell of it, but 'tis old blood too. There’s none between us, is there, now?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I’ll go and meet Miss Jonna.”

Sean was left with the bracken and it suffered heavily for Kathleen’s ■coldness. In a short time the girls returned.

“Now, Sean, here we are, we're ready.”

"Give me a candle, Miss, ’tis right that I should go in first.” ' Even if his heart was beating quicker than usual, he would not show the white feather to save his life. Kathleen must see that he was not afraid. And so the third expedition into the henrt of the/rock began. Just at that moment, having caught his supper and his breakfast, Donal Burke was taking down his rod. Ho had not seen his beloved Johanna since their confidential ohat, and he longed to know how she fared. Contrary to his usual custom of returning by the river to his lonely cottage, lie resolved to go by a longer route that would bring him near 'lCnookarra House, on the chanco of seeing her. This brought him close to the Witch’s Roclc.

He knew that Johanna often went by the spot he soon reached. Ho sat down and waited, wondering at the piles of braken that were strewed around, the result of sean’s onslaughts.

When 'Lionel saw the shrouded figure silhouetted against the flicker of the dim fire, he stopped and switched aside the beam from his lamp so as to avoid signalling his presence. Ills study of the map helped him now to recognise various features of the cave. Unlike ■'Mrs MaoMorroueh, lie was not startled info uttering any sound. Tic had lliai advantage at all events. Very slowly he stalked liis quarry, feeling his way with foot and hand. The low swish of (lie current helped lo drown the little, noise lie made; though the surface, of the lake was like Mack glass, Ihe wafer below ran strongly. The figure, crouching before ihe fire, was moving rhythmically lo and fro like a pendulum. As he neared if, he heard a low 'Crooning. II sounded like a dirge from Ihe dead. As he crept nearer, he could hear the words. The singer was so intent on Ihe song that his advance was unheard —as yet! And these were the words that were sung;— “Oil, gon of my ‘Heart, where are ye gone from me, ! Will ye never come hack to my call? | flood people, give him hack to me. j The gold that, was yours, shall lie | yours again. Running water shall keep if from ye no more. t have 'Called lo ye, called to ye, j called to ye often. i The years have gone by. and my i patience grows weak with ye; | bright, and sharp is llm knife I have, by me, j A‘uu will rue Ihe day of my anger." j A'earer and nearer lie crept. lie-! hind the sputtering lire of pinej branches ami Hr rones, he saw, in a ! niche, something that gleamed yellow.}

Hy . DESMOND LOUGH. (Author of “ Judgment," "The Wager,” Et 3., EtJ.)

A DELIGHTFUL LOVE STORY IN AN UNUSUAL SETTING.

Was it gold? In his eagerness to. approach still nearer, he took an incautious step and dislodged a small ■stone, which fell into the water. The ■sound was magnified by the stillness. ‘The dirge ceased, and the 'figure ■sprang up. The head was cowled in black, and the lower part draped in grey or white. It was his seoond meeting with the 'Ban Dhu. The creature was tall, and its robes emphasised its -height. It cried out In a high, cracked voice, something unintelligible, evidently an eager question. After a pause it called again. This time he heard the words: “Have ye brought him? Have, ye - brought him?"

Lionel pressed himself back against ■the rugged wall of the cavern, hoping lie might yet remain unseen. Evidently he did, -for the figure gave no sign of recognition. Once again it called out, furiously this time.

“Are ye 'there, we who stole my ■son? If ye are give him back to me. Haven't ye had him long enough? If ye will not, I’ll make ye suffer , as I have suffered. Ye’re spells can’t fight against this! There’s magic to it that’s stronger than yours, an’ there's the blood of a man on it that, tried to come to flncl my secret. It might have been your gold he was after, but I kept it for ye, if ye will only' give me back my son. Oh, give him back to me!”

T'he figure held out its arms, sobbing and moaning. Still Lionel' kept ■silent. AVhat could be do? He must have made some slight movement for the .figure suddenly -turned towards him.

“Who are ye, that come here? None can come here and live.” Lionel thought the time bad come for him to speak. “I mean no harm to you, whoever you are. 1 came here by chance.” “Then your bones will rot herel”. shrieked the creature, moving towards him. In its hard he could see a knife glittering—he felt sure it was the one that had stabbed Munroe. There was no wish to harm the Ban Dhu in Lionel’s heart. He was a powerful man, and he felt himself a match for It. He had no belief In spirits, at least, he knew that this was not one.

He turned the ray from his tamp full on the advancing figure, knowing that it would be to hid advantage to be behind the light. He saw the eyes glaring hatefully at him from beneath the hood. He ' saw at that moment that he would have to fight for his life, he could not afford to be softhearted. Placing the lamp before him, he grasped his cudgel with his right hand, feeling for his dagger with his left; he would only use that as a last resort.

With a snarling laugh, the 'Ban Dhu. picked up a stone, nnd, hurling It at the lamp, sent It spinning Into the water. Now the advantage was with the enemy. The movements of its hands were hidden, and the light of the Are was behind it. With a sudden rush the 'thing was upon him. (tie struck at it with his cudgel. The Ban Dim swayed inwards and his blow missed. Then there was nothing for it but the dagger. It caught in his pocket as ho tried to draw it, and a precious second was lost. Ho had a wily fighter against him. Shifting its knife quickly, the Ban Dhu gripped his still struggling 'left hand, holding It pinned in his pocket, and he saw the knife raised to stab. They were at too olose quarters for the stick to be of use. Lioned dropped it and drove his first hard against his enemy’s body. The blow told. With a grunt of pain his assailant gave back. If only ho had his cudgel now! hut it had floated swiftly out of sight on the smooth current that -was so much stronger than It looked. Nothing could he heard hut the panting of the contestants and the low hum of the speeding waters. The dagger was free now, hut the Ban Dhu could see it. Thero was a pace or two betweeh them, too far for striking distance. 'Lionel felt that at last they wero evenly matched, even though the knife was the longer weapon. But he did not desire the death of his opponent, capture was his object. 'He might cajole it to the entrance —once in the daylight he believed the advantage would toe with him. 'He began to retreat slowly, holding his dagger at the ready. He ho retreated, the Ban Dhu advanced, not eagerly as before —warily. That blow had hurt, and it would not risk taking another. Back, step by step, they went. Short rushes by the Ban Dhu died away as Lionel paused to give battle. So they went, fienling and dodging past the tunnel until they came to the outer cave. They were in pitch darkness now, for the light of die fire was hidden. This was all against Lionel. He did not know liis wav with any accuracy. lie had only a genera! idea of the lie of the land. Still, although darkness was a handicap lo him, his opponent could not see him ejlher. He could only hear a slight movement a few yards away. Dealii might conic any moment from a lighlmi’g slab. (To lie Continued..>