WHO KILLED GEORGe TENER?

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 19, 7 September 1894, Page 11

WHO KILLED GEORGe TENER?

(By Magdalen Rock, in the Aye Maria.) (Continued.') The man moved slightly, ani .he arranged the pillows more comfor ably beneath his head. The dispensary doctor bad been with him for the second time that morning, and made a more lengthened examination of his patient than on the preceding day, and had spoken freely to the priest, who chinrp-J to be present, " Is he one of your flock, Father Dan ? " The priest shook his head, " No— at ltast I believe he goes to no place of worship ; but I have heard that he should be a Catholic, though he never admitted so." " He'll never recover, lie may live as he is for weeks, or be may drop off at any moment." " Is he likely to recover consciousness ? " 11 1 should say not, though in one similar case I've had the man did, but he died almost immediately ; however—" He paused, and then added in an undertone: "Isn't it a curious fate tbat has brought him here ? " Father Dan assented matey. " She is an extraordinary woman," the doctor continued, still speaking in a lowered voict, and glaocmg toward the be where Mrs Cregan stood. A couple of weeks elapsed, aod the first excitement attendant on the accident to Morgau had paesed away ; though Mrs Cregan still had an nnueual number of visitors in the Bprirg evecirgs, but during the day she was often alone. She was kre ehag in the middle of the kitchen floor one afternoon, saying btr bends. In the post few years Bhe had contr cted the habit of thirking - loud, and as sbe finished the 11 Hail, Holy Queen " she said : " Tnat was for Patrick, and now I'll s»y oue for him ; and I pray God may forg've James Morgan all his bid?, and grant him the grace to die a good death " She did not notice, >-c she b^gan thesoond Rosary, that the sick man's eye 9 were wide open ami fU^d on her ; but as she proceeded, some strange fueling caused her to turn round. There was recognition in the look tbat met here, and she hastily rose from her knees. " God save us? " she exclaimed. " What are yon doing here 1 " Morgan asked in deep, husky tones. " What the—" " Ton met with an accident," Mrs Cregan interrupted, trying to speak coolly and calmly ; "and yoa were carried in here." Morgan looked round, and noticed his surroundings. " In here — to yoor house? " "Yeß." He raised his haod to his brow. "When was that? " " A fortnight yesterday." " Ab, yes, I mind I The horse shied, and ran away." He mutered an imprecation as he finished, while Margartt took a cup from a table near and held it towards him. " What is it ? " be asked. " Ma\ be 'tis pi isoo. " Poison 1 No, 'tis only a drop of mik." He drank it greedily, and f«ll back on the pillow without further speech ; and Mrs Cregan vainly tried to move composedly about her ordinary domestic duties, conscious all the time that the man's gase ntver wandered from her ; and it was with a feeling of intense relief that she saw Mary Brannigan cro«s the threshold. •• I'll be wanting some fresh water," she said to the visitor, " and I I'll go to the well while you're here." '• Well," Mary agreed ; "but how is he to-day ? * Mrs Cregsn placed her finger on her lips, and Mary saw that Morgan was aware of her preset cf\ When Margaret left the cottage ! he asked : " Mary Brannigan, will yon tell me all about bow I came here ? ' "Aye, that I will," Mary mswered, promptly. "You were pitched head foremost from that brute of a hone at the door ; and

Margaret took you in, and has nursed you sinee — which is a good flight more than I'd have done myself " " Maybe she had a reason for it. Did I rave ? " " Not a bit. You were more like a log than anything else ; and as for reason," Mary replied, scornfully,—" as the doctor eaid you'd never speak again, and as she doesn't expect a legacy from you, I don't know what it wi uld be." Morgan chuckled grimly to himself. " Shell get no legacy at present ; for I'm going—" he hesitated — " going to cheat the doctor." 11 You may, but I doubt it very much. Why speak of—" Before Mary could finish her question Dr Benson entered. His astonishment was great on beholding Morgan. After some professional questions and answers, Morgan said : " So you thought I was going to die, doctor ? " " Yep," the doctor answered, gravely ; " and I fear so still." "Do you mean that 1 You're not trying to frighten me ? " "No, my pooi fellow ; and if you have any matters to arrange, do so. In a few days, a few hours even, it may be too late." Morgan turned away ; and, after a few brief instruotiona to Mary, the doctor left. When he bad been gone a quarter of an hour, Morgan spoke : " Are you there, woman ? " "I am," Mary responded, meekly. "Can I do anything for you?" "You can. G-) for the priest •" " For Father Dan 1 Well, Q. dis good, and—" " There, that/I I do. Aad get a m .gis rate. I'm going to leave Margaret Cregan a legacy, alter all." " Yon needn't. She won't take 't." " She'll take it right enough, right enough. Will you go ? " "Gladly ; bus it may be long before.'Mr Nagle, the magistrate, is here. 'Tie a good otep to his piece." The woman took dowa a shawl of Mrs Cregan's from the peg by the door. She partly ran over the toree miles that di»ided her from the pnpsi's house, and breaihlesly told her erraod to Father Dan. " And now lam going on for Mr Nagle. He w&n'ahim too. He says he's going to leave a lecacy io Mrs Cregan." "A legacy I " the pnett repeated, wonderingly. "Well, Mr Nagle is heie. fortunately. We will go at orce, and Ellen shall get you a cup of tea." (Jlo he concluded )