The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-07-19

10 han | !. ! ]
INSTANCE, begui1ed many d. diouss mo-
1nent by surveying the enemies torrl-
| tory from the broad top OF the bank,
Iofsliis observations directly before his
master, the less formidable Miss Kate
heard II with interest, nor did she
keep 1t to herself, let her bro lier and
her niece app ear to be az deaf as they
Ipleased.
In this way they were kept well
posted UP about anything that hap
ipened near tho pond. and before long
1 d rather curious Scircumstancc came to
| their knowledge. 1t was hot summer
weather, SO dry that most peoples
water supplies were dwlndling, and
barrels and buckets might be seetl
on the rond to and from the shrunlsen
Rafirthy River. 81
Everybody, knew that until the time
| OF the McElroy auction the Dockrells
had to send half q mile for all their
cattle's water; consequently It seemed
more than little strange that. after
lthey had enjoyed the advantages Of
Itho pond for week or 30. not one
of their beasts should be seen coming
next or nigh the place again. Yet
Mick confidently asserted this to be
the case, and he was corroborated by
Pat Doran, the plowman, and Blddy
Mcguire. gatherer OF stones. Kate
Walsh suggested that perhaps there
was something arniss With the pond
water, which would certainly be q very
Inappropriate Judgment on them after
1.-The way they had carried on over It. :"
But that did not Seem likely ex-
planation. especially as pailfuis were
sometimes observed to be fetched up
| the sloping field. Besides that, Muir
Itagh Walsh would not have cared to
BIO thus summarily and arbitrarily de-
prived Of his grievance, as we'll as of
| his hopes OF somehow redressing 1t for
himself. So his view was: Musha.
not at ALL What would all the water
except that It's too good for them or
the likes OF them? But Just let me
fine gentleman walt; might have It
yet. and no thanks to him."
Then. while the drought still con-
important piece Of Intelligence about
!. the Dockrells. namely. that one OF their
best young beasts had nysterouly
ldlsappeared-a yearling Hereford
shire. in which Fergus Dockrell had
taken particular pride There was
no doubling the fact: tfIs animal had
gone. though how or when remained
an unanswered question.
They were said to be "as black and
secret as night about It up at Dock
rells'." Nobody had seen a sign Of the
creature. sick or sound. alive or dead.
Certainly, Harrison. the vet. had not
been called In to It, and more certainly.
| II possible. 1t had not been sold, as
had the face to let on to Biddy Ma
guire. Sold. bedad! 1iurtagh Walsh
was we'll aware that old Fergus knew
his business a deal better than to lose
a matter OF six or seven pound by SELL
| ing 1t on that day OF the year. A much
likelier story-in fact. II presently be-
came an article OF belief with Murtagh
was that the beast had been attacked
BY one OF those fatal new-fashioned
diseases, which an owner Is required
to notify the authorities. who will
thereupon probably slaughter the rest
of his stock. and that TO avoid these
QCtlSS ECOlSCQutUCSS LH6 SyOCkTSllS
had buried IT in hugger-mugger, ille-
gally. unbeknownst. and were hushing
the matter up. For doing so. 8furtagh
thought that they might get into very
serious trouble. II their conduct came
to light; Teresa. hearing him make tho
remark declared herself to wish. from
the bottom OF her heart, that such q
thing would befall them.
Her ill-wills towards the Dockralls
was not whit diminished one morn
ing soon afterwards. when She went
on an errand into the fields. The spell
OF dry weather had been broken BY a
night rustling and murmuring with
rain. which had drenched the world
rolled away at dawn. Now In the
shine Of the sun it was all green ana
glittering. Teresa's business was To
tether one OF the cows. whose tastes
would otherwise lead her to Craze, with
fastidfous gluttony, on nothing hut the
richest clover-clumps. long rope
and tetherinE-pin, wherewith to re-
strict this imprudent feeder. hung over
Teresass arm as she crossed the warm
pasture land. somewhat concerned TO
keep the wet grass from touching her
freshly made-up skirt OF pale blue
linen. which cleaned into white be-
leatH tHe 3BtEOn rays But,theyz glowed
SO flercely on her bare head that when
she came into the field adjoining the
pond she chose to walk along under
the shadow OF the boundary bank.
notwithstanding the greater dampness
that lurked there and the tall weeds
that sprinkled her with clear. large
drops. As she brushed past them iIn-
patiently, she thought how. If they
had got the pond-field, they might
have put trou blsome Cherry into IT.,
the grass being so poor that,the greed
lest COW could hardly overeat herself
there. This reflection did not assuages
tho bitterness OF STeresa,s feeling about
tho p ockrells, KS
sy Sud denly a loud shout sounded on
the Their sid OF the bank, evidently
quite close BY, Coming from that
5auarter = It had been any ordinary
kind OF call. she would have turned
"a thered ear to 1t, and taken no
no.ice of 1T whatsoever. But there
was q ring Of such wild desperation
In the cry that without pausing to-
Yconsid er.% Ehe scrambled IN The haul