The Irish standard., 1899-03-04

woman. nave you no more mix!
NAY cronc had rcappcared;
mot drop more. My COW is gone dry"
81 have plenty in my dish" inter-
posed McDougaIl May, man, dip in,
dip in! We farmers stick not al, fine
table civilities."
a certain somber determination in
his piercing eye compelled Fi,zroy to
obey reluctantly Then he did not eat
the bread.
you have not asked me why life is
sweet" said the Scotsman. "Surely q
happy man should be an object of curl
osi,y! Since you ask not, will tell you
of mine own accord. am passably
young, | have health and strength, l
have land enough to wiring a living
from, and in December am TO marry
the sweetest girl in all Scotland. 1t
is much to live for. is it not. sir?" with
eyes rivcted on Fitzroy's.
"Gentlemen," interrupted their sin
ister-faced hostess, IAN bid to make
up beds here? Or do you purpose to
take the road?"
McDougall hesitaicd. First showme
how my horse is lodged" he said TO the
old dame. Scarce had they disappeared
together into the dusky doorway of the
dilapidated clubhouse before the wom-
an sped eagerly back to Fitzroy.
Quick" she whispered. pulling him
into the house. "Here"- producing
pistol from a cupboard" tbs his; cut
it from his holster whilst you supped.
You need not fear him now. Ills
coward, anyway"
Its brave mani" flashed Fitzroy.
"Yet if he sleeps here | need not.
Woman, he fed me from his own dish.
And he would have dincd me at the
Golden Goblet, had dared 10 show my
self there"
He hath reckoned for the supper
already" grinned the crone. ~ sped
back to tell YOU where he carries his
money"
I'm his saddle-bags?''
"Nay, it's in little buckskin bag
within his coat. It, clinks most amaz-
ing heavy, nor would he pull the string.
After all. It's trust and must not be
touched he said, and paid me with
shilling from another pocket Why
hang you back, sir?"
sudden sound smote the highway
mans ears before he could answer
the sound of swift hoofs splashing on
wet road. Breaking to the door he saw
horse and rider making furious haste.
His prey had escaped him.
Quick, fool. my horse!" he cried,
finging himself frantically across the
beast when she brought it, and extend
ing, instead of good-by. hasty hand
for the purloined pistol. He could
scarcely account for his change of
mood. Chagrin at being outwitted.
fear of remaining as tame sport for the
old woman's gibes, pricked him on.
His fresher horse quickly outran the
travellers more jaded one, which, at the
sound Of shot from behind. threw his
wounded rider in the thick mud
and galloped on. mad with terror
In the one instant of Fitzroy's dis
mounting the hurt man struggled to his
feet Come on, sir" he said, with
CHASTITY composnre. "You have not yet
dipped your hands in my blood. You
dipped them Iast-in my dish--you
wretched betrayer-coward!' AS he
fell in the vain attempt to pull his ad-
rersary down with him, one sharp cry
of pain. Of human dependence. quiv-
cred in the air, preceding deadly stil,-
ness: kitty"
why need he Shrek that p muttcred
Fitzroy. "'Tis strange. In faith, I
would his Kitty had him. and | the
buckskin bag
Recalled to the need for haste. he
knelt down and fumbled for the bag,
opened it,and then laughed loudly and
hoarsely. "Shillings! One, two"-he
counted thirty. and his hands shook.
He wished nightly it had been any
other number, even lesser; and could
not have sworn that the pale, dead,
scornful lips beside him did not repeat:
"'ris bit of Judas-work. In the
bag lay letter. whose address:
ITO Mrs. Dorothy White.
Durham"
struck him with a vague unpleasant
sense of familiarity:
DIR. Aunt" 1t read. these sos. will be
handed you by brave gentleman and true,
Mr.. Duncan Mehlongal Of this place. Him
am to mary In a ltttel time. The silver
peaces are for you to add to that gave
you Tor welding gown VIII. you honoured
Aunt. promised me the favour to by for
me. Send 1t back by him. and pray you Of
yr. cortesy to Low him as you love me, for J
love him as J do my Self. Yr moast dutiful
neace, KITTY FITZROY"
Thirty pieces of silver. flung in as
many different directions, splashed into
the little roadside bitches. II have be-
trayed the innocent blooa!" cried Fitz-
roy.
His face was ashen. He peered with
eyes of horror at the still thing at his
feet. "A bad businessl" he muttered.
"Brother-in-law. could wish you a.
better part in the play than that Of my
first victim"
He heard households and trembled
like an aspen. Hastily wiping his fin
gers in the moist grass, he mounted his
horse and rode off. with savage spurs in
his sides
The hoofs followed-then abruptly
stopped where the wounded man had
laboriously risen on one elbow. watch
ing the higbwayman's fleeing figure.
At familiar neigh he smiled grimly
and painfully, first glancing at the un-
touched panniers of the Ballantyne
kinks good gold, which lay on the
faithful creatures back, then at. The
muddy coins scattered round him. His
stunned senses rallied slowly.
"Kitty'll never cry for her coins" he