Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-01-23
"TRE DUCHESS"
A Tale Of Irish Country L,re.
BIZ THE "DUcnBss.
CHAPTER XVII.


The last guest has departed; only .hu
house party is left to enjoy the garry of
the dying sunset Lounging about an the
shaven grass, or else costly Nesting down
in the garden chairs, they seem one nd all
10th to leave the sweetness of the evening
Do go indoors and dress for dinner.
Toere is almost unwonted stiffness over
everything; a calm that bodies well FIR the
peaceful night, that already shows Signs Of
descending upon them. A Little tired, d
little languid, they are sitting voiceless-a
sense OF such pleasurab.e laziness upon
them as forbds tho desire for speech. when
suddenly, from some unknown dLtancs,
sound reaches them; sound that ever Fathers
its volume, and at last disperses rudsiy the
delicious touch of rest in which they had
been indulging. Nearer and nearer comes
this objectionable break upon their tran
guilty, resolving itself presently iEfo the
measured tread OF many feet and tbs dull
muttering of sullen voices Madam starts
perceptiOly ami grows little pale, and
one swift glance she gives at Deals, as
round the curve of the avenue an uncouth
crowd Of half-trightened, hall angry
peasants, comes with rush Us If pushed on
by those behind.
1t is one of tho very frequent scores of
which some OF US have been eye-witiesses,
and OF which we al have read in tho daily
papers, the monthlies and the magazines.
A band of sullen, Unlocking men, headed
by their parish priest lin this inst nee
well meaning man, though that car ,ot be
said Of others, with no honest treaty
on their lips but rather demand for a
still further reduction of the rents that
already have been most generously re-
duced.
Delaney seeing them-and that they have
como to halt on the central part Of the
gravelel sweep before the hall door, that
had full command of that part of the lawn
ON which he and his guests were seated,
moves lightly from his loungingtpostion Oh
tho grass and goes forward to meet them.
The Duchess, as he passes her, can se,, that
he has changed color, and a cold, hasd ex-
preston has settled round his lips.
"WellY' no says icily, addressing himself
exclusively to the priest, and treating tho
others as though they were outside his
vision. His tone Is uncompromisinE, his
whole air studiously contemptuous.
And then the priest begins his speech,
already prepared, and which it wotild be
useless to reproduce hero. The peoples
wants and wrongs set forth In ford Ian
guage, and with keen edge of heartfelt,
eloquent, compassion to it that touches
Norah, but leaves Delaney as stern and I'M
moved as before. The demand for redress;
the speakers conviction, that they, his
Pensioners, have 1t not in their power to
pay the money said by tbs law to bo due,
but which in the sight Of heavea and man
Is an un just taxation. And SO on-and on
1t Is a strange scene, full of incongIuities.
On ono side extreme poverty and general
Generalization; on the other riches aud all
the little rshnemeats that go to mako up a
well-to-do, self-satisled society, There,
the addressed although each man In it is
wearing his 81 n lays best Unlocking crowd,
shutting togetAor in nervous, treacherous
fashion, half uneasy, wholly vintctive.
Before them their spokesman as were,
their lean, ascetic parish priest Father
Doolin, a slight e,naciated man wit dark
piercing eyes that now are aglow with fer
vid elo,. uence. Facing him, the tall, hand
some, young man, faultlessly attire;'. with
head wen up, and stern, finely cut mouth,
and aristocrat written on every line pf him;
and behind all, the fashionably dressed few,
gazing with weH-bred amazement at the
picture OF which they make part,
Father colin has brought his SPEECH to
q rather abrupt termination 1t Is difficult
to be diffuse or explanatory or persuasive
with those handsome, unsympathetic eyes
fixed upon one, as though compelling a
speedy finish to ores harangue; and now
that it has reached its end Delaney
throws out his hand with an openly ag-
gressiye gesture.
1T is useless ~ he says, taking adv intage
Of this unexpected break in Father ] collins
appeal, ''your coming to me on this srrand.
To those" turning cold, angry eyes upon
the crowd "who have shown no mercy, no
mercy will 1 show"
Take care, SIR" says the priest, in a
sort of sharp, involuntary way, as il a lit
tie frightened.
'Do you threaten me, sir?'' asks Della
noy, turning upon him fercely. 'Nay,
then, threaten as you will. What have
SAID remains. These people, with light
and scornful wave OF his hand in cir di-
rection, ''have chosen to defy me, wen TO
the extent Of killing nv trusted agfnt; let
them abide by that choice shall not
ahate one fract.o more of my just dues
have said this before, publicly. / say 1t
again. Twenty per cent has been offered
and refuse |. No other er shall be made
And may as well say now, too, as the OPP
portunity presents it-elf. that it was against
my bet er Judgment, my senie Of justice,
that such grace was ever shown
An angry growl rises from the crowd,
and the Duchess blanches Little an makes
a quick movement, as though she would
rise fro n her seat.
Then tall man steps from the CT wd and
stands in front of it, rs though he Z, Ills M
sell 20 be their l,ader- though perhaps an
unacknowledge4 enc.
He IL great powerful fellow, with a
rather brutal appearance. A heavy, bull
like neck, lowering brow and type Of
feature that suggests strongly that OF
the gorilla
Say forty per cent an we might be
listcnn' to ye," says the giant with a
th a. ening air.
''. ta1d back, Moloney," says Father
Doolin, with frown.
'Why would !, thinl Why shot dn't he
hear the truth for wnt in his LEI II
you won't sra ;e it / will Why shouldn't
tell him what we ali think of him and his
oomradesy''
why not, indie .dY" rays Delaney, with
curious laugh. ''TheIe Is, however,
com thing even more than that that you
miglE tell me-" He goes a step nearer &c
Moloney and fixes his gaze ON HIM. 1.-THE
name Of him who murdered Mr. Meredith
A convulsive shuddcr seems TO run
through the ragged crowd. Many angry
faces show themselves tber>a. mary cnre-