The Irish standard., 1905-04-22

|
standing by the door.
"Luk a-here," said D'ri to the guard
as we finished eating, II want t. asst you
question. Ell you he'd purity COM
ftable hum on t. other side, m tew
| tEcusan dollars n the bank, n hosses
I n ev'rything fixed fer good time, n
! all NV sudden ye found yerself n
sech gol-dum dungeon es this hero.
what 'u'd you dew"
The guard was fixing the wick OF
his candle and made no answer.
/ Want ye t think it all over" said
Uri. See eff We can't think O. suthin'
| soothin' t. say. God knows we need
It"
! The guard went away without an
swering.
Got him thinkin'." said D'ri, as hs
lighted the candle. He can help us
some, mebbe. Would MT wonder ef
he was good ct cipherin'."
III he offered to take two thousand.
don't see how we d give it to him.
said l. He would MT take our promise
for it"
"rhet ain a-goin' t. bother us any"
said Dri. He'd thet all figgered out
long ago."
He gave me the candle and lay down.
holding his ear close to the stone floor
and listening Three times he shifted
his ear from one point to another.
Then he beckoned to me.
Jest hol' yer ear there n listen."
he whispered.
l gave him the candle, and with my
ear to the floor | could hear the flow
OF water below lis. The sound went
away in the distance and then out OF
hearing. After while it came again.
| What does it mean?" I asked.
"Cipherin' leetle over thet air"
said he, as he made long scratch on
the floor with his flint Then he rubbed
his chin, looking down at it. Hahn
jest eggIacly med up my mind yit,"
he added.
We blew out the light and lay back,
whispering Then presently we heard
the coming OF footsteps. Two men
came to the door with a candle, one
being the guard we knew.
Come, young fellow" said the lat
ter as he unlocked the door and beck
oned to me; they want you upstairs"
We both got to our feet.
mot YOU" he growled. waving D'ri
back. Mot ready fer you yet"
He laid hold of my elbow and
snapped shacllle ON my. wrist. Then
they led mo out, closing the door with
a bang that echoed in the far reaches
OF the dark alley, and tied thick cloth
over my eyes.
Good luck!' Dri cried out as they
took me away.
"I'or BOTH" answered as cheerfully
as | could.
They led me through winding pas
sages and iron doors, with that horri-
bic clank OF the prison latch, and up
fights OF stone till felt as lost as one
might who falls whirling i'll the air
from a great height. We soon came
out upon walk of gravel, where I
could feel the sweet air blowing into
my face. A few minutes more and we
halted, where the guard. who had hold
of my elbow, rang a bell. AS the door
swung open they led me in upon a
soft carpet. Through the cloth could.
see light.
Bring him in, bring him in!"
voice commanded impatiently-a deep.
heavy voice the sound of which have
not yet forgotten. The guard was
afraid of it, His hand trembled as he
led me on
Take off the blindfold," said that
voice again.
AS 1t fell away, found myself in a
large and beautiful room. My eyes
We're dazzlcd by the light of many
candles. and for Il little | had to close
them. | stood before two men. Ono
sat facing me at black table of carved
oals-a man of middle age in the uni-
form OF a British general. Stout and
handsome, with brown eyes, dark hair
and mustache now half white, and
nose aquilnc by the least turn, he i'm
pressed me as have few men that
over crossed my path. A young man
sat lounging easily in big chair be-
side him, his legs crossed, his delicate
fingers teasing thin mustache. l no
ticed that his hands were slim and
hairy. He glanced up at me as soon
as l could bear the light. Then he
sat looking idly at the carpet
The silence Of the room was broken
only by the scratch of a quill in the
hand of the general. l glanced about
me. On the wall was a large painting
that held my eye. saw presently
1t was that of the officer l had fought
in the woods, the one who fell before
me. turned my head; the young man
was looking up at me. A fine set
Of teeth showed between them.
"Do you know him?" he asked cool
ly
T have not the honor" was my re-
ply.
"What is your name?" the general
demanded in the deep tone had
heard before.
Pardon me-" said the young man,
quietly, as if he were now weary Of
the matter, 81 do not think it neces-
sary."
There was a bit Of silence. The
general looked thoughtfully at the
young man.
"If your lordship will let me" he
went on.
"My dear Sir" the other interrupted,
in the same weary and lethargic man
ner, II can get more reliable knowledge
from other sources. Let the fellow go
back"