Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-06-10
A WILD RIDE.

We had been llVIngln Ireland Tor
about two years, and every day l
regretted the time more and more
when my husband had decided to
leave England and come over to
manage his property, which was
situated IN one of the most laWless
and disaffected counties.
Fenianism was rife, and heartily
/ wished we were away and over
the water again, at least until these
troubled days had given place to
better and more peaceful times, and
now that the long, dark winter af-
ternoons and evenings had set in
again, used to sit and watch anX-
iously for my husbands return; |;
when Lionel would come in look
ing uneasy and moody, and kept
his revolver always loaded, though
he never told me that he suspected
danger, and made light OF it for my
sake.
Oh! it was wretched, miserable
time, and l can never forget it. |
remember so well how the crash
came at last, and how the volcano
burst forth that had been shoulder
ing so long. We were sitting at
breakfast one morning when the
letters were brought in, and after
handing them the bearer stood fidg-
eting about. Lionel looked up.
"That will do, Delaney, and tell
John to bring the dog-cart around in
half an hour"
"Lionel, L don't like that man,"
/ said, after he had left the room.
81 am sure he is spy. l wish you
would get rid of him."
ooh, the fellow is right enough.
1t is his brother, you know, that [
am going over to court about to-
"What is it?" / exclaimed, as
Lionel got up suddenly, looked vex-
ed and annoyed, and threw letter
into the fire. "LioneI, is it another
of those dreadful letters ?"
"Yes, warning me against giving
evidence against Delaney to-day.
What is the country coming to?
But there; L ought not to~have told
you-it will frighten you into fits"
'Lionel, you must not go to-day
indeed, indeed, you must stay at
home; they may mean what they
say. Oh, promise me you won't
CO."
"Nonsense-absurdity; Winifred,
don't be so foolish. Why, dear,
these are all empty threats. But
once show the white feather and
they will be ten times worse. You
foolish little wife," he added tender
ly, "and so you worry and fret
yourself when Pm away, expecting
me home on shutter, 1 suppose.
Well, don't sit up for me tonight,
for after the trial is over / am 60
ing to dine at Col. Arbuthnot's and
won't be home till late. Now 1
must be off,"
A few more loving words, and
then 1 stood watching him drive
down the avenue, turning now and
then to wave farewell. L was on
ly half satisfied, and was wishing he
had not gone. After lunch l went
out to take some wine to the lodge
keepers child, who was quite ill.
1t was late when l started, and the
sun was setting behind the noun
tain, shedding a flood of crimson
light over the golden glOries of the
fading day. / stayed there until
quite dark, when l started for
home.
Suddenly hearing footsteps, /
paused; nearer and nearer they
came, and then through the dark
ness / could see two men approach
ing, talking in low, earnest tones.
Sick with terror l drew back be-
hind large tree, for one of the men
was Delaney. At first they spoke
in low, earnest tones, but by de-
grees their voices were raised, and
at last Delaney, raising his hand,
exclaimed with vehemence that
made me shudder:
Z +" / tell you, if it's done at all, it
must be done tonight. What's the
use in talking, man? It's acts, not
words, we want. He passes the
crossroads tonight, coming home
from the ColOners a mile beyond,
by the common and chalk-pit. It's
a lonely spot-there is our place.
Be there when the moon is up, and
mind, no mistake this time"
He laughed, actually laughed, as
he planned and plotted the deliber-
ate and cruel murder OF my hus-
band, who had been a kind and
good master to him. At last they
parted Delaney hurrying back in the
direction of the house with a last
injunction TO his accOmplice not to
fail F; and after waiting long time,
to make sure that he was gone, /
went slowly home and reached my
room unobserved.
There l matured and laid my
plans deliberately and carefully, for
1t was life if / succeeded, and oh
far worse than death if / failed. So
/ dressed as usual, and, though
every scrap of color had left my
face and 7 knew I could not subdue