HOW LOVE FOUND A WAY

New Zealand Tablet, 28 December 1916, Page 7

HOW LOVE FOUND A WAY

I. ' A curse on the same priest-hunters, Una—every mother's son of them: that is, if they ever had a mother. And a double curse on the sold that tempts them to hunt the priest of God through the woods and mountains in order to get the price that's on his head. There's Father Maurice, now, our own poor sagart, hunted from place to place like a wolf, and lying concealed this moment in your father's house, and he wanting to be with his people. He'll be in some other house to-morrow night, and so on all the year round, with those hired brutes on his track, and we can't have a gun or a pike to defend him or ourselves. If we are caught with arms in our hands, or in our homes, it means the hangman's rope for us, or a bullet through our hearts. Oh, it's a curse that's on us, Una, it's a curse!'

And Fergus O’Hara’s handsome face darkened, and his hands clenched as he gazed as if with entreaty into the bonny face of the comely girl who stood beside him at the edge of Killarra Wood.

The penal laws were in full swing all over the land, bringing sorrow and desolation to many a one-time happy home, while mongrels, with the greed of gold in their callous hearts, lurked in every woodland and glen and mountain watching for an opportunity of capturing a ‘ Popish priest,’ u«on whose head a price was laid by the humane English Government, equal to that-set upon the head of a wolf. Two notorious priest-hunters had been seen of late prowling about Killarra, and the people were in momentary dread of losing their beloved Father Maurice, their guide and help in every trouble and gorrpw and affliction.

' Fergus O’Hara and Una Farrell were plighted lovers, and it was'' their wont to meet 'almost every night at the edge of the wood, about twenty perches away from Una’s home. • And Christmas will be here in a week,’ Fergus resumed, when his first outburst drew no-remark from his companion, who seemed absorbed in thought, ‘ and Father Maurice can’t say Mass with his own people about him for fear ; of; beiim pounced- upon, by those scoundrels, and maybe a band of soldiers along with them

Una raised her shapely head and directed a halfserious, half-mischievous glance from a pair of sparkling grey eyes on the darkened face of her lover. ‘ He will say Mass among his own people at midnight on Christmas Eve, Fergus ; I’ll stake my life on that, she said, with a knowing little toss of her darkbrown tresses, ‘ and it’s you and I that’ll make the coast clear for him and defeat the greedy hounds of (ho law.’.

' All, you must be dreaming, Una. How, in the name of Crom Cruach, could the two of us that haven't a weapon belter than a slick, hope to defeat those fellows from K, , armed with pistols and swords, and maybe plenty of redcoats at their backs?' ' Oh, I didn't say we'd have to fight them, Fergus, or to kill them, or anything like that. There are more ways of doing away with a dog besides choking him with butter, and there's many a way of hoodwinking a bloodhound in human form. T have a plan, and if yon lis.en quietly to me for two or three minutes, I'll tell you how we can make the coast clear for Father Maurice, without killing anybody, on Christmas Eve.' 'All right/Una, I'll listen ; and I know that if ever a plan could be invented 'twould come out of that little head of yours, because there's more cleverness in it than would outwit all the generals of England.' ' Gura maith agat, Fergus ! But wait till I tell you what I never told you before. About six weeks ago I was coming through the wood one night after leaving some things with Father Maurice (he was stopping with Neil Regan at the Glen at the time), and I met the two priest-hunters going home after trying to get a sight of the sasrart —God preserve him ! They stopped and asked me did I know the priest, and I pretended to be very simple, and I hung my head and said I saw him two years ago when my granny was dying. So they laughed at my innocence, and said I was a softy sure enough, and one of them wanted to kiss me (Fergus' hands clenched), but I managed not to allow him. I felt myself shivering when I thought of all the blood that was on the ruffians' hands, but I pretended not to mind, while all the time I was vowing in my heart that I'd pay them off for their impertinence. I didn't mention it to you, Fergus, for I knew you'd be only getting into trouble with them, as many a poor boy had the misfortune to do before. They've often crossed my path since, for some one has told them that I have a dreadful spite in for Father Maurice, because he advised my mother to put back my marriage with you for five years. They heard as well—and it's a big —that I swore I'd be revenged on him for it. Last night they met me again by chance, morra-ya,, and I saw what they were after, so I pretended to be mad with and I promised to lead them to where he'd be saying Mass in the heart of the wood on Christmas Eve. I told them 'twas better bring no soldiers, as they might be seen, and so be the means of giving Father Maurice time to escape. So they're coming by themselves, and I'm going to teach them as good a lesson as ever they learned, and you'll help won't you, Fergus?' ' With a heart and a half, Una. But I'm still in the dark as to the way. How are you going to do it?' ' I'll tell you ill a minute. But first I'll start you a question. You're supple and active, aren't you?' 1 I am, thank God.' " .'. •>.-;■•-•. ''And so am I. And there's a pit six feet deep and twelve yards long there below the big elm in the wood?' : .. A nod of his head was his only answer this time, hut his eyes were beginning to fcwinkle joyously.

■'■* And vFergus,-•".'there's-{a-—Oh, r chroidhe • 'stigh, there's: mother'-calling'!; me. . She's-going to spin, and I'll have card the wool :f or her. "But I'll tell you the whole plan to-morrow night, and, please God, oh Christmas Eve we'll show the pig-headed priest-hunters what an Irish boy*and girl can do for the sagart they love. Beannacht leat.' > - " .She was gone before Fergus could answer, and as he watched her lithe figure flitting away into the darkness he murmured, half unconsciously: "."'"' Mo ghradh thu, a Una! Mo ghradh thu." 11. 'Tis Christmas Eve and as beautiful a night as ever shed a lustre of glory over the heathery mountains and smiling valleys of Ireland. A mist hangs upon the hills like a fleecy robe of grey. A soft crooning breeze sighs adown the glens like the swelling of fairy music. Sparkling, glittering frost lies over all the earth, resplendent in the bright moonlight, while the stars twinkle joyfully overhead. Oh, sorrow of sorrows! that a land so beautiful should be cursed by tyrant laws', and that its children should K-. forbidden by these laws even to oiler praise to Him Who was born to suffer and die for their redemption ! Nowhere does the beauty of the night show to greater advantage than in the noble wood of Killarra, where two men are busily engaoed in tying their horses to the gnarled roots of a huge elm that stands in an open space like a mighty monarch of tho forest.

The men thus occupied seem to watching for someone, for now and then they <danee hurriedly around and scan with eager gaze the sparkling woodland patii that winds through myriad trees like a snake among the tall grasses of some Western prairie. Suddenly a light sound on the frozen earth causes them to turn quickly around, each one’s right hand involuntarily seizing the pistol in his breast. One glance at the cloaked figure standing in the centre of the path, however, seems to reassure them, for they instantly allow their hands to fall once more to their sides.

The drooping head is slowly raised, yet with a kind of business-like gesture, and reveals the witching face of Una Farrell, shaded now with a look of earnestness, whether real or apparent.

‘ Ydu aren’t a moment too soon,’ she whispers, hurriedly. ‘ He’s hiding in the old chapel beyond the wood — a good mile away. Mass will commence at midnight, and we must be there before the people .begin to-gather. It’s ten o’clock now. So come along after me and make no noise.’

;/■• With a grunt of satisfaction, and after bestowing a parting look on the horses, the two men follow Una, as with quick, light step she plunges into the forest, ignoring the path altogether, and advancing in an easterly direction. In single file they go quickly on through the wood, then out among hedgerows covered with dew and fields glittering with frosty stars. Una goes silently and quickly, and the same rule is followed by her companions, who are too busy with their thoughts of success to give heed to anything else. Now the old chapel looms up in front ; they are beside it, and the leader treads more cautiously, by a shake of her finger entreating silence on the part of her attendants. Suddenly she gives a start, stops abruptly, and gazes eagerly towards the far side of the chapel. Then she says in a passionate whisper; * They’ve seen us ! they’ve seen us ! There’s the priest running down the far boreen. They think we don’t see them, and none of the boys are going with him, in case they’d attract our attention, and they think he’ll reach the hiding-place all right. I know where he’s going, and if you keep close to me, one on each —that way we’ll run him down in fifteen minutes.’ , She turns suddenly, with wild, eager eyes fixed on a stooped black figure that has started out from the chapel and is making all speed to gain the wood just at the point where she had emerged from it, leading the priest-hunters. The latter keep close to Una, according to directions, and follow her light form as she bounds oyer

ditches and gaps .and stiles in pursuit .of the black figure which seems to drag itself along with much difficulty. .•'.-"lnto.'the wood the-figure goes, scarcely three hundred yards in -front, and visibly failing, while the others gain with: every step;.*, On, on through briar and swamp and heather they go, pursued and pursuers,' in the race for life and liberty on the one side, and greed of gold on the other. He .'is scarce two hundred yards ahead now, and is struggling along like a man about to fall. Past the big. elm and the affrighted horses they dash, the doomed victim heading for a belt of sedgy grass about a dozen yards long, with a tree at each end. like a silent sentinel, while a little nodding sapling in the centre of the shimmering grass seems to bend its head in approval of the whole thing. -" Right by the little sapliup- he dashes-—out beyond he struggles bravely on for a. few paces —then, with a wild, despairing cry, falls heavily to the earth and lies, a black dot, on the glorious landscape. ' Hurrah! we have him!' cries Una, in exulting (ones. She can hear the half-suppressed gloating of her companions as they race along, one at each side. Up to the belt of sedge thcv dash, puffing, gloating, almost breathless after the exciting chase, and-r-^ Splash ! ' ' Splash ! Una is out beyond the sedge now. She has left the sapling stretched at full length on the grass with the impetuous swing of her little foot. She hears a splash : a murky. spatter has fallen to either side of her on the frozen earth, and then she looks around. There, panting, struggling, cursing in a seeming network of white grass, over which a black murky substance is quickly oozing, are her late companions of the chase, glaring at her like caged lions. ' Why don't you come on,' she says mockingly, when laughter allows her to speak : ' sure we have him safo and sound !' A cry for mercy is the only reply to her exhortation.

‘ You won’t come? Well, I suppose we’ll have to coax you. Come here with the ropes, Fergus boy, and don’t be lying there on the frozen ground famishing the life out of yourself.’ 6 The black figure moves, then springs to its feet with a bound, and reveals the stalwart form and laughing face of Fergus O’Hara, while two other robust friends of his jump up from behind a ditch. From beneath his coat Fergus draws a pair of stout hempen cords, and he and his companions approach the spot where Una stands enjoying the discomfiture of her dupes.

A running noose is placed upon each cord and these are then thrown over the head and shoulders of the priest-hunters, securing their arms tight to their bodies. Then, after a good ‘ plunging,’ enlivened with the scorching satire of Una, they are drawn to earth and the- ropes wound tightly around their bodies. ‘ You see,’ says Una, and the mischievous eyes of her are brighter than the stars; ‘you see, somehow or other the grass grew over that pit last night, and the board grew across it. If you followed after me you were all right ; but it was just a bit of bad luck. You didn’t run in the right place.’ They are lifted on to the horses, the bridle-reins are taken out, and with these their legs are bound securely to the saddle. ’

* And now;’ Una says, when the horses have been led out upon tho high road, and Fergus has turned their heads towards K , ‘ I hope His little adventure will teach you better than to make bargains everagain with “softies” of country girls ; and you may tell every black-hearted sou of your tribe that’s how they’ll get their blood-money when they come to look for it in the wogds of Killarra!’ ‘Let the poor fellows go home, Fergus.’ And Father Maurice 'said Midnight Mass that Christmas Eve in Killarra wood, and the two happiest hearts there, it need not be said,, were those of Una and Fergus, the betrothed lovers, Gat hylic Columbian,