The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-04-23

49, NAANA A0NNSNA
in to town.
had only been recently appointed
to B~allyroughan, with special instru.-
tions to do my utmost to suppress
smuggling, which was at that%Iime
very prevalent in the district. And
from all the information | could gath
er, | came to the conclusion that the
most effectual way of doing this was
to interceptth landing of the goods
from the island. The supply, / rea-
soned, would soon cease, if Isucceeded
in cutting off the demand.
Mickey kept his promise about Civ
ing me further information. / had
just thrown myself on the lounge next
evening after dinner, when a fiery al
tercation broke in upon my rest. 1t
was my landlady and Mickey on the
stairs. "Ye can't disturb him now,
I'm telling ye; he's only afther his
dinner"
"But / want to see him particular"
persisted Mickey, endeavoring to pass
her on the stairs"
"And it's want yell meet with, thin;
We can watch for him as he goes out
in the mornin'."
cts q matther of life and death,
Pmtellin' We; and the mornin' wouldn't
do at all, at ALL"
swell, and what if it is a matther
of life and death? Sure, he isn't the
docthor."
1 now thought proper to interfere.
"If that is Mickey Mehaffey," | said,
"you may allow him to come up,
Mrs. M'Ketchup."
every well sor. Bad luck to the
dirthy boots o. vel" This last to
Mickey in an undertone.
"Well, Mickey, shut the door, and
let me hear what you have, to say"
eve learned it all, sor. Hugh's
Shan gave me all the news this norm
in afther chapel. He's wan of the
smugglers, We know, from the island"
"What news did he give your"
"Why, about the landing of the po-
teen for the fair. It's just as l towld
we. They're to land it tonight about
twelve o'clock, as the moon will be
dark by that time"
Where do they usually land it?" |
asked.
"Well, sor, there are only two places
where a boat can put in with safety:
wan of these, the Smugglers' Pier is
just between the high rocks forninst
Ballyroughan, and the other is about
a quarter of a mile further along the
shore. It's not so safe in the dark as
the Smugglers' Pier, and so they never
land at it,"
After arranging with Mickey to meet
me that night at a certain point | dis
missed him, and proceeded to mature
my plan for trapping the smugglers.
1t was this. / arranged with the
coastguard officerI.O meet me at the
Smugglers Pier about IL. He was to
bring two boats and three boatmen
with him, androwup silentlyfrom the
station to the place appointed. Three
constables of the Royal Irish" were
also detailed to meet me at the same
time and place. Mickey, as previous
ly stated, was to go with myself and
act as guide. The rendezvous was
about a mile from the town, so Istart-
ed off about 1890 on my secret expe-
dition. Fortunately, Ballyroughan re-
tires early to rest, SO not a soul was
to be seen as / passed through the
town. A subdued cough st the out
skirts told me hat Mickey was true
to his appointment.
We walked in silence to the place,
and found the 'palers," as Mickey
called them, waiting. The coastguard
officer and his men had not yet arriv-
ed. They came, however, shortly aft
erwards, and ! then gave my final in
structions. One boat, manned by the
c~oastguard officer, a boatman and
one of the constables, vas to row
about 400 yards out and lie on its
oars, out OF the track of the smugglers
but ready to intercept them on their
return to the island, if they escaped
us. A shot from my revolver was
the signal for them to. be on the alert.
The other boat / directed to
be kept out of sight between
the rocks, but ready for action
at a moments notice. These ar
rangements completed, every one
waited quietly at his postto watch the
turn of events. 1t was now midnight,
and though the moon had been down
almost half an hour, there was no
sign of the s~mugglers. Couldit be that
Mickey was playing us falseg This
thought had just occurred to me. when
my ear caught the sound of distant
oars.
Ibid you hear anthing sir?" n of
the constables whispered.
flush! Listen" said.
Yes; there was no mistake. Nearer
and clearer came the plash of the oars
and the creakisg of the rowlocks; and
in a few minute afterwards the boat
grated on the gravel within afew yards
off where We lay concealed. / saw
through the darkness that there were
only two men in the boat, witha boy
to steel. The former proceeded at
once to land the goods. They brought
a keg ashore, but before / could give
the order for capture, q ludicrouS in