Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-30
CHAPTER II.

| CHAPTER IL
In process Of time, thanks to his intimate
| knowledge OF drill and musketry exercise, the
excellent Mulcahy, wearing the corporaPs
stripe. went out in a troopship and joined her
majes.ys Royal Loyal Musketeers, commonly
known as the Mavericks" because they were
masterless and unbranded cattle-sons of small
farmers in county Glare, shoeless vagabonds of
Kerry, herders of Ballyvegan, much wanted
'moonlighters" from the bare rainy headlan DIS
of the south coast, oficered by O'Mores, Bradys,
Hills. Kllreas and the like. Never to outward
seeming was there more promising material to
work on. The First Three had chosen their
regiment we'll 1t feared nothing that moved
or talked save the colonel and the regimental
Roman Catholic chaplain, the fat Father Dennis,
VINO held the KEYS of heaven and hell, and
blared like an angry bull when he desired to be
convincing. Him also it loved because on oc-
caslons of stress he was wont to tuck up his
cassock and charge with the rest into the mer
REST OF the fray where he always found. good
man, that the saints sent him q revolver when
there was a fallen private to be protected. or
but this came as an afterthought-hi own gray
head to be guarded.
Cautiously as he had been instructed, ten
derby and with much beer, Mulcahy opened
his projects to such as he deemed fttest to
listen. And these were. one and ALL Of that
quaint, crooked sweet, profoundly irresponsi-
Bile and profoundly lovable race that fight like
iends, argue like children, reason like women,
obey like men. and jest like their own COLLINS
OF the rath through rebellion. loyalty, want,
woe or war. The underground work of q con-
splracy is always dull aud very much the same
the world over. At the end of six months-the
seed always falling on good ground-Mulcahy
spoke almost explicitly, limiting darkly in the
approved fashion at dread powers behind him.
and advising nothing more nor less than mutiny.
We're they not dogs. evilly treated; had they not
all their own and their national revenges to
satisfy? who in these days could do aught to
nine hundred men in rebellion? Who again,
could stay them if they broke for the sea, lick
ing up on their way other regiments only too
anxious to join? And afterward here
followed windy promises Of gold and prefer
ment, Office and honor, ever dear to certain
type of Irishman.
AS he finished his speech, in the dusk of
twilight to his chosen associates, there was q
sound OF q rapidly unslung belt behind him.
The arm of Dan Grady few out in the gloom
and arrested something. Then said Dan:
"Mulcahy, you're great man, an you do
credit to whoever sent you. Walk about bit
while we think Of it." Mulcahy departed elate.
He knew his words would sink deep.
why the triple-dashed asterisks did ye not
let me curl the tripes out of him!" srunted q
voice. '.+
because I'm not fat-headed fool Bows.
tits what he's been driving at these six months
our superior corpril with his educa, ion and his
copies OF the Irish papers and his everlasting
beer. He's been sent for the purpose and that's
where the money comes from. Can We not see?
That mans gold mine, which Horse Egan
here would have destroyed with a belt buckle
1t would be throwing away the gifts of Provi-
dence not to fall in with his little plans or
coorse well mutny till alls dry. Shoot the
colonel on the parade ground, massacre the
company officers, ransack the arsenal, and
then-bOys, did he tell you what next? He
told me the other night when he was beginning
to talk wild. Then we're to JOIN with the mig
gers and look for help from Dhulip Singh and
the Russians!"
"And spoil the best campaign that ever was
this side Of hell! Danny, I'd have lost the
beer to ha' given him the betting he requires"
'Oh, let him go this awhile, man! He's got
no-no constructiveness, but that's the egg
meat OF his plan, and you must understand
that I'm in with it. an 80 are you. Well want
Wen give him talk for his money and one by
one all the boys'll come In and he'll have q nest
Of 900 mutineers to squat in an give drink to-"
what makes me killing mad is his wanting
Us to do what the niggers did thirty years gone
That en- his pigs cheek in saying that other
regiments would come along" said Kerry
man.
That's not SO bad as hintin' We should loose
off at the colonel"
Colonel be sugared! I'd as soon as not put
o shot through his helmet to see him lump and
clutch his old horses head. But Mulcahy talks
o. shootin' our comp'ny OFFICERS accidental"
He said that, did hep" said Horse Egan,
''Somethin' like that, anyways Can't We
fancy ould Barber Brady wild a bullet in his
lungs, coughin like a sick monkey, an sayin:
Bhoys, do not mind your gettin' dhrunk, but
you must hould your liquor like men. The man
that shot me is dhrunk. I'll suspend investiga-
tons for six hours, while get this bullet cut
out, and them"
''An' then" continued Horse Egan, for the
peppery majors peculiarities of speech and
manner were as well known as his tanned face;
IAN then, We dissoute, half-baked, putty
faced scum o Connemara, If find man 80
much as lookin' confused, begad, I'll coort-
martial the whole company. man that can't
get over his liquor in ak hours 10 not fit to be-
long to the Mavericks!"
shout Of laughter bore witness to the
truth Of the sketch.
'It's pretty to think Of" said the Kerry
man, slowly. "Mulcahy would have us do all
the devilment and get clear himself someways.
He wudn't be takin' all this FOOLS throuble in
shpoilin the reputation Of tho regiment"
Reputation Of your grandmother's pigr'
said Dan
well, an he had a good reputation, tn; 90
it's all right. Mulcahy must see his way to
clear out behind him. or he'd not ha' como 90
far, talkin' powers Of darkness"
Did you hear anything of q regimental
court-martial among the Black Boneens, these
days? Half q company Of 'em took one Of the
new draft an hanged him by his arms with a
tent rope from q third-story veranda. They
gave no reason for 80 dom, but he was half
dead I'm thinking that the Boneens are
short-sighted. 1t was q friend OF Mulcahy's,
or q man In the same trade. They'd a deal
better ha' taken his beer" returned Dan, re-
dectively.
Better still ha' handed him up to the COL
onel," said Horse Eagan, "onless-but sure
the news wud be all over the country an give
the reg ment a bad name"
AN thcre'd be no reward for that mau-but
he went about talkin'," said the Kerry man.
artlessly.
"You speak by your breed" said Dan, with .
laugh. There was never Q Kerry man yet
that wudn't sell his brother for o pipe O. to-
bacco an q pat on the back from pliceman."
Thank God I'm not Q bloomn' Orangeman,"
was the answer.
mo, nor never will be-" said Dan. "They
breed men in Ulster. Would you like to thry
the taste Of one?"
The Kerry man looked and longed but fore
bore. The odds Of battle we're too great
Ihen you'll not even give Mulcahy "A
strike for his money" said the voice of Horse
Egan, who regarded what he called "troubls"
OF any kind as the pinnacle Of felicity.
Dan answered not at all, but crept ON tip.
toe with large strides to the mess room, the
men following. The room was empty. In Q
corner. cased like the King Of Dshomsy's
state umbrella, stood the reRimental colors
Dan lifted them tenderly and un-olled in the
light OF the candles the record Of the
Mavericks-tattered worn and lhxcked The
white satin was darksned everyvhere with
big brown stains, the Rold threada ON the
crowUed harm uara go -.