The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-10
BY JOSEPH HEATING
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

| re ulu not get 10 the HOUSE until 3s5o.
when the electric lights CLEANED in all
the Hobbies.
His colleagues were looking for him.
He took one of them into a quiet cor
| ner and conhded his intention. Ills col
league listened and looked scared.
well, the Lord protect ye, Denis-anny-
way"
"Amin." said Denis: and from force of
habit he made the sign of the cross on
J himself as he started off on his perilous
| adventure.
He came at last to the danger spot
with n vigilant constable on guard out
! side the ominously closed door.
( The policeman cast wary eye upon
| Denis as he came up But all the same,
he touched his helmet respectfully to
| "the honorable member
is Misther Chamberlain inside. said
| Denis, casually, as it were, throwing a
! side nod at the closed door.
The constable grew pale in the electric
| light and caught Ills breath.
'He-is-in his room sir
would We tell him that Mishter Denis
Cavanagh, member from Rathkeale, would
| like a word with him9"
"I-dare, dare not. sir. Orders-must not
disturb on any account. Important orders
affairs ="
Hell know what I want to see him
about. Sure, it'll be all right, me deere
| man."
Dare not w-sr-awful conse-
| quences. Much as my place is worth, sir.
| I'd be dismissed from the force-at onee,'
I'm going in anyway" said Denis.
The policeman dared not lay hands upon
a member of parliamenr-even an Irish
member-without the sergeant-at-arms be-
! side him. But his body shrank in agony
| under his uniform as Denis-himself in a
! quiver-put. his knuckles to the oak with
i the whisper of knock.
/ painfully silent pause followed. in
| which Denis and the policeman looked al
each other in Mortified way. A low but
penetrating Come i'm intensified the
T. horror of the situation.
Denis took off his hat twisted the door
knob, and accepted the invitation.
. He saw green shaded electric light
shining mildly upon Litter of papers.
blue white and yellow, and the tall grave
statesman sitting at the halfway of the
table. Mr. Chamberlain looked pale and
tired. But the absence of any surprise "a
the intrusion gave Denis a surprise.
well Cavanagh?"
Before l say a word, sir, | must ask
| you to put no blame on that polishman
| outside your doore." Denis made a
straight point at the shrinking uniform
| at the open door "He did all he could
to keep me out. 'Tisn't he's to blame for
/
tirey. And if l thought he'de be harrumd
I'd go away agin without saying a word.
Don't discharge or dismiss him. Don't
put amy black mark agin him. IT'S I'm
TIL offender all together
h.r. Chamberlain smiled at the earnest
ness OF this.
! well Cavanaugh I'll forgive him for
opening the door if you'll close it"
Denis went to the door, winked mag
nfcently at the policeman, and closed
| the door.
"Now-what can l do for your, Cava-
nagh?'
"Ye can do Private O'Callaghan a good
| turn, sir
II will spare you five minutes, Cava-
naugh, but no more. Frankly, my time
is mortgaged to the hilt
! SOS POOR Tins. too, sir
But what can | do? The court-mar-
tial sentence must be carried out said
Mr. Chamberlain.
Sure, we know very we'll. sir, that
Xrself is just the man to carry it out
and bury it dacintly."
You ver-estimate my capacity. CaVa-
| ragh. if YOU think ! can nullify the pun
| ishment of a mutneer under such circum-
stances"
circumstances. is il? Sure, what cir
cumstances? As far as / can discover
and I've been all over the place looking
for the circumstances -'
81 heard of that, Cavanagh," interrupt
ed Mr.. Chamberlain emphaticallY.
Yes admitted Denis. 81 did arouse
attintion And what did | find? Poor Tim
afther the hard fighting, got dhrunk may
be and made a fool of himself about the
camp -"
1T was not in camp that he disobeyed
orders quietly put in Mr.. Chamberlain.
| pulling out a paper from a bundle on his
in bpr ic
] O'Callaghan's officer gave an order,
which was openly dsobeyed. When they
got into camp the officer was bound to
report the INSTRUMENTATION. But as O'Cal-
laghan's fighting record good the
punishment inflicted was slight-rguard
room and pack drill. Then in his first
hour of freedom, OCalaghan-as YOU
| suggested-got drunk. and went looking
, for the officer with his gun. AS a matter
| of fact. he fired at the officer, but his
condition interfered with his marksman-
ship-usually excellent. The court-martlal
found the crime punishable with death"
The quiet force with which these facts
were stated completely destroyed Denis
idea of debating the question. But it did
not destroy his natural hopefulness
'Ah, sir" said he 'Yere looking only
at the facts"
IN Heavens name, Cavanagh, what
| else can | look att"
Sure, we know very well there's the
human side TO ut. We never knew Tim?
Sure | knew Tim when he was as big rs
the little green lamp that y maze there
before we. And whn he was only a bit
of rcd-nair'd little fox of Il bohy he'd
play kyards with the skill of the devil.
lie wint into til army that was the poor
bhoys misfortunatc idea maybe of get
ting some wan to tread on the tail of his
coat. Sure there never was any harm IN