The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-06-27
THE PATH OF MURlOGH,
BY HAROLD FREDERIC
PRIZE NOVELTIES, NOS.
BY HAROLD FREDERIC.


the bigness of Cape woman's arms,
and were clad In red silken cloth
stretched as close as skin. He had foolish
little feet, with boots OF yellow leather
rising from the knee, and from the mid
thigh TO the waist were unseemly bulg-
ing breeches blown out like buoy, and
gasheG downwise with stri9es OF glowing
colors repeated again in his flowing
sleeves. His FURNISHED steel corselet and
long reed like sword would be toys Tor
children In Dunlogher. His face, under
his wide plumed hat OF drab felt, was
that OF no soldier at ALA thin, smooth,
rounded face OF a strange smoky darkness
of hue. with tiny uptnrned moustschios,
and delicately bended nose. And the
eyes Of hinl They seemed to be the half
OF his countenace in size, what With the
great duslSy-white balls, and sloe black
centers, and theif thick raven fringes and
brows that joined each other. The
armed kernes who stood nearest took not
much heed OF these eyes, but the older
women, peeping between their shoulders,
saw little else, dnd they made the sign
of the cross III the sight
When hours had passed the haser
folk Of Dunlogher knew roughly what
was in the wind. Two wayfaring men OF
humble station had come in the train OF
the Spaniard, and though they had no
Irish, their story somehow made itself
told. A ship from Spain, which indeed
Dunlohger had seen pass week before,
had put in at Dingle, ON the Kerry coast,
and had landed James Fitzmaurice, the
Papal legate Sanders, some other clergy,
or men at arms, with banner blessed by
the Holy Father. A great army from
Spain and Italy would follow In their
wake. But, meantime, the first corners
were building a fort at Smerwick, and the
clan OF Fitzgerald was up, ana the mes
sengers We're flying through the length
and breadth OF Munster and Connaught,
passing the word TO the Catholic chiefs
that the hour Of driving the English into
the sea was at hand.
The lower floors OF fhe castle and the
pleasant grassy lawns outside, cool j
the soft sea wind Of the summer night,
were stirred TO common ,fervor By these
chiefs Of Dunmanus and Dunbeacon to
the North, of Ballydevlin, Leamcon
Ardintenant and Rosbrin to the South,
and elsewhere in Desmond, the O'Sulli-
vans, MacCarthys, O'Driscolls and the rest
were clashing their shields. All, when
thoy should see Murty striding Into the
field.
In the big hall overhead, where after
three courses of stone stairs were climbed
80 narrow that man in armo1r must
needs walk .tsideways-t the abode of the
chieftain and his own blood began-Mur.
togh was ready to hear the message OF
the King Of Spain.
The broad, rough-hewn table, with its
dishes OF half-cleaned bones and broken
cheese and bread, its drinking horns and
fiagons, and litter OF knives and spoons,
had been given over 10 the masters grey
hounds, who stood with forepaws on the
board and insinuated their long necks and
muzzle hoiselessly here and there among
the. remains of the meal. clnmp OF
reeds, immersed in brazier OF fish oil,
burned smokily among the dishes for
light.
When, at the finish of the eating, Muir
togh had given the signal for departure
TO the dozen strong men nearest akin to
him, or in best favor, there were left only
his son, slow, good lad, born of first
wife long since dead, the blind Owny, the
Spaniard and the latham Tor prematurely
gray young priest.
Then Murtogh said to this last man /:
"Donogh, son of Donogh Bhade, have
not frowned on you nor struck you, for
the reason that you are my guest But
because my hand 10 open TO you, II Is no
reason that should lie, and pretend that
] am your friend or you mine. Your
brother, Diarmaid, the one could not get
| to kill, calls himself my heir, and twice
has sought to take the life OF my son here,
my Donogh both. Therefore, will have
you go now, and sit below with the others,
| or read your prayers in your chamber,
where you will sleep, because i will hear
now what the King of Spain says to me,
and that Is not meant for your ears. ~
| The priest stood on bis feet. "Your
pride does not become you, Murty Nor
| dha," he said, twhen am come to YOU for
| yonr SOULS sake and the glory OF re-
| ligion." His voice was thin and high
pitched but there was no fear in it.
81 Will not be taking trouble for my
soul just now" replied Murty; "that
will be for another time, when I am like
to die. And then will have my own