The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-03-26
"Oh great God! no! no! For
heavens sake no! no!n

ioiiJ' I"NlhS IhC utbSSoL lIOHl LIE
hand, and advancing step
towards the sleeping maiden.
ooh! for PHYS sake, do not dc
not do it, Helenn continued Davy,
his wild eyes glaring with fright,
and his shrinking form trembling
like an aspen. At this critical
moment a loud knocking was heard
at the door below.
"There! there! they are watching
us! they are upon us! We are lost.
lost! and the terrified husband
wrung his hands in despair,
awaking, if possible, to new sense
of fear.
"L-o-r-d! be quiet you provoking
fool, till we see who it is that dares
disturb the quiet of our family at
this time o'night," said the hag,
fastening in the direction the noise
proceeded from, dragging the half
senseless and stupefied Davy after
her.
"Who's THEREOF demanded the
dauntless Helen, as she reached the
bottom of the stairs.
"Lord love your soul! it's nothin'
more nor poor benighted crather
that intrates yer leddyship, in the
name of the howly saints, for a
shelter underneath yer roof till
mornin' and may our blessed Var
gin reward yez! There's no sheriff,
no nothin' at all TO throuble yez,
good leddy," the stranger answered
to Mrs. Darly's peremptory sum-
mons.
"Begone! you Irish scoundrel!n
screamed the hag, with all a
woman's violence, interlarding her
command with several appropriate
epithets, altogether too pleasant to
repeat to delicate ears. "I know
you, you rascal! Do you think to
deceive me with such hypocritical
cant! Scamper, you hound. or I'll
set the dogs after you instantly
"Och! now, sorrow be to the ould
divil!" said Pat McCleary, for the
distressed person was no other than
he, finding his ruse had failed.
''Who but the old sarpint herself,
or witch, could see who I, Mr..
McCleary, am this dark night?
Open the door, ye ould brock, or,
by st. Pathrick, We'll bring the
shanty down about your lugs, ye
ould heifer!"
The hag replied to Pat in his
own terms, while she caused Davy
to assist her in securing the door
more effectually.
"Mrs. Darby I, Jacob Stuyvesant,
sheriff of the county, on the
authority of a state warrant, de-
mand admittanoe to this house."
vociferated the pompous little
sheriff, finding Mrs. Darly had dis
covered who her friends outside
were.
"Be off, you leecher,' replied the
hag to the official dignitary, apply
ing the appropriate adjective, "be-
fore you get another bastinading."
"Break in the door! break in the
doOr!' said Ernest, impatiently,
"ere they make it too strong to
force" throwing himself against
the portal; but the stubborn door
resisted the light frame of the young
man, and he rebounded with the
shock.
"Jabers! let me thry it, Master
Ernest" said McCleary, plunging
like bull against the barricaded
entrance, and landing headlong in
the middle of the passage. Pat
springing to his feet the next in
stant, shouted "Arrah, my boys,
come on"
The men poured in at the forced
entrance, and Mrs. Darby retreated
to a remote corner of the room,
drawing her dagger, and threaten
ing instant death to the first who
was bold enough to attempt laying
hold of her.
"Och! ye ould scape- gallows!
will ye attempt drawing yer
murtherous weapons on gintlemin!"
Pat said, twirling the cudgel in his
fingers, and giving the hag's elbow
a smart thwack, which sent her
knife to the opposite side of the
room. Deliver up to the clutches
of his Grace! The divil burn ye
for witch!"
Mrs. Darly and her doughty
partner, who stood motionless with
fear in one corner of the room
during the scene above described,
were secured and taken in charge
by the sheriff and his posse.
Christianna, being reused by the
tumult, came terrified and weeping
into the room, at the conclusion of
the melee, and persisted in accomp-
anying her friends whithersoever
they were conducted this night.
Being impossible to deny her,
Ernest gave her his arm and the
company sailed forth from OFFER
guson Hall, with its desperate in
mates in custody.
CHAPTER XVIII.
"The mind that broods DER guilty woes,
Is like scorpion, girt by fire.