The Irish standard., 1905-04-22

OUR CELL
gon, now surrounded by impatient
cavalry. They put a blindfold over the
eyes OF each prisoner, and went away
at lively pace. We rode long time,
as it seemed TO me, and by and by l
could hear the passing of many wagons
and the murmur OF a crowd. Some
were shouting, Shoot the id Yam
kees!" and now and then missile
struck among us. There is nothing SO
heartless and unthinking as a crowd,
the world over. could tell presently,
by the creak Of the evener and the
stroke of the hoofs, that we were
climbing q long hill. We stopped short
ly; then they began helping us out.
They led us forward few PAGES, the
chain rattling on a stone pavement.
When we heard the bang Of an iron
door behind us, they unlocked the
heavy fetter. This done, they led us
along n gravel walk and over a
sounding stretch OF boards-a bridge,
l have always thought-through an
other heavy door and down a winding
fight Of stone steps. They led us on
through dark passages, over stone paw
ing, and halted us, after long walk,
letting our eyes free. We were in black
darkness. There were two guards be-
fore and two behind us bearing can
dies. They unshacklcd us, and opened
q lattice door Of heavy iron, bidding us
enter. knew then that we were 60
Ing into dungeon, deep under the
walls Of British fort somewhere on
the frontier. A thought stung me as
D'ri and entered this black hole and
sat upon a heap of straw Was this
to be the end of our fighting and of
us?
I; "You can have candle a day." said a
guard as he blew out the one he car
ried, laying it, with tindcr-box, on a
shelf in the wall of rock beside me.
Then they filed out, and the narrow
door shut with loud bang. We pcered
through at the fading flicker Of the
candles. They threw wavering, ghost
ly shadows on every wall of the dark
passage, and suddenly went out of
sight. We both stood listening O mo-
ment.
Course the luck!" whispered pres
emily.
"Jest es helpless cs if we was hung
up by the heels" said D'ri cropping his
way to the straw pile. "Ain' no use
gittin' wratlH."
"What III we do?" [ Whispered.
Dunno" said he: AN when ye dun
no whut t. dew, don dew nuthin. Jest
STAN still: thets whut 1 b'lieve in"
He lighted the candle and went
about, pouring its glow upon every wall
and into every crack and corner of our
celia small chamber set firm in ma
sonry, with ceiling so far above our
heads we could see it but dimly, the
candle lifted arm's-length.
Judas Friest!" said D'ri, as he
stopped the light with thumb and fin
ger "I'm goin' t. set here n tn straw
LUX an OIL hen n lie up m thinker n
set 'er goin'. One O. them kind hes
t. keep is mouth shet er he can't never
dew no thinkin'. Bymby, likes es not,
ii have suthin' t. say ct ii mount t.
suthin'."
We lay back on the straw in silence.
did lot Of thinking that brought me
little hope. Thoughts Of Louison and
Louise soon led me out Of prison. After
little time went philandering in the
groves of the baroness with the two in
comparable young ladies. l would will
lingly have stood for another bullet II
I could have had another month Of
their company. The next thought of
my troubles came with the opening of
the iron door. had been sound asleep.
A guard came in with water and a pot
Of stewed beef and potatoes.
'Thet air g all right" said D'ri, dip
ping into 1t with a spoon.
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