Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-30

sought the prayers that would not come
was dim. crouching figure III the dark
ness under the rocks. peering out from the
obscur.ty with eyes alight, and, in imper-
ceptible edgings forward, coming close to
the back of the O'Dwyer.
What Turlogh's amazed eyes beheld were
two powerful forms locked in deadly grip,
writing, rocking, Juggling in frenZied pas
sion at each other, and tearing the soft
MOSES and forest carpet with their feet as
they fought, within pace of where he sat.
A stick hurled upward from the ground
struck him smartly ON the cheek. He
forced himself to rise to his feet, and with
poised hands. thrust forward his face in the
effort to see which was which of the two
combatants. Even above the pain of his
wound rose the violent lust to have a share
in this furious struggle. But the light was
low in these Depths and his eyes blurred.
He shouted in his confused flutter of hope
and fear, and one of the two embattled
forms was thrust with violence against
him. He reeled backward, and caught at
the rock to steady himself, and had mo-
ment's terror lest he should foolishly fall
down where he stood.
1t was another who fell with forceful
crash, and upon him plunged headlong the
form Of the victor. Turlogh saw blood on
the leaves, and a blackened face turned up
ward among the roots, with it's eyes burst
Ing forth at him in despairing horror: 1t
was the face of the ODwyer. and Turlogh
felt his foot itching to plant itself upon
that face. He leaned against the rock in
stead. and gulped something down that
rose in his throat and shook off the faint
to he more light, and he saw clearly.
creature in the sembIance of man.
half naked, and for the rest clad in strange,
d;scolored tatters of skins and rags. and
growing in tufts and patches enveloping
its head. knelt upon the breast of the
ODwyer. Its sinewy hands, corded and
stained to the likeness of some foul giant
- 1Ixy hon
the fallen mans throat From its lips
there came kissing murmur vile to hear
iurlogh. looking, saw that the long
bodied ashen-hued dog was there too, close
bowlder.
Who are your" he heard his own quav-
ering voice ask
stared hXedly at .Turlogh The sense of
mystery had vanished on the instant. 1t
was the race OF an elderly omadhaun,
vacant, smiling. furt:ve, pitiful 1t nodded
and grimaced under Turlogh's eye.
Have you no speech?" demanded Tur-
losh He spoke freely now, as if to q
strollns Eght-wit at his own gates.
Ihey beat me away with sticks and
stones, said the simpleton. He spoke in a
thin, muffied. squeaking voice, ami 1t was
rot easy to comprehend his words. "They
strike me. and put the dogs after me, but
some one is my father. 1t may be that in
feed me With white meats 1 go to the
head and look for him. because it is very
bad for me here: He will be having silk
coat and ID. gold pieces in his ears when he
Turicsh held up his hand to check the
meaningless babble. The trees ard the
kneeling figure and the corpse swan be-
fore his eyes Bear me down to the wa
ters edge-to my boat" he said, abruptly.
The omadhaun slowly withdrew his hands
from the throat of the O'Dwyer. THAT
gown 1t was that tripped him." he crooned,
srinning as he pointed to the monks frocF,
stll twisted about the dead mans legs,
and with a sudden stray CLEAN of sense in
his eyes.
Turlogh's knees bent under him. and he
chung with his elbows against the rock.
Leave him and bear me to my boat!' he
groaned. And then hlackress spread itself
over all.
At night, in the little chamber beside the
hall of Dungeakeen. the herb doctor and
the bard stood together at the side of the
sleeping face of their young lord. Old
Cumara crcuched behind them, in the
shadows beneath the ring Of fish-oil tapers
against the wall.
'Oh. then. when the first cock crows"
walled the boatman. 1.-THE life will be out
of him! The devil himself brought him out
OF the little oak wood. and laid him on the
strand. and ran back with a dog of hell at
strand. and we bore him to the boat, with
the marks of the devils teeth torn into his
shoulder. And the monk was not to be
seen at ALL the holy man! oh. wirra!
wirra! Why would 1T not be me instead9"
''Hsh-h!' muttered the herb doctor.
Turlogh had opened his eyes. He lifted
himself on his left elbow and looked round
with a slow gaze. roting the faces about
him, and bringing his thoughts together,
one by one. Then he smiled, and their
hearts took joy, for there was no illness on
him.
Bring me food and drink now" he said,
land bid Culain. the builder. come to me in
the morning. l will be raising a chapel in
the little ok wood by the strand without
delay. and will dedicate it to ST. Molaggi.
the omadhaun."
Cumara groaned. but the two others ex-
changed a glaEce and nodded.
1T will be to the momcry of the holy
man, the friar. who went with you and did
not return asked the bard.
Tur!ogh looked gravely at him and his
companion. and then upward at the half
circle lights. 'Oh, then, it is You for the
reading of mems thoughts!' he said to his
bard, ard smiled again.