The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1909-11-04

garden. a little apart from h turmoil.
and, wrapped in their cloaks, talked In
low voices, debating much of Sicily and
] Naples and the Cardinal and the Medi-
terranean fleet. and at times laughing
at some court story. But they said.
strange to tell, no word of Tralee or or
Kenmare, or of Dublin Castle, or even
OF Connanght. They We're no visionar-
les. They had to do with greater things
than these. and in doing them knew
that they must spend to gain. The lives
of a few score peasants. the ruin of half
q dozen hamlets, h were these be-
side the diversion of a single
from the great pitched fight, already
foreseen, where the excess Of one bat
tieship might win an empire and Its
absence might ruin nations?
And n other man. and one only.
because his life had been passed on
their wider plane, and he could judge
of the relative value Of Connaught and
Kent, OWNED the trend of their
thoughts and understood the delibera-
ton with which they prepared to sacri-
flee their pawns.
Colonel Sullivan sat in the upper room
of one of the two towers that flanked
the entrance to the forecourt. Bale
was with him, and the two, with the
door doubly locked upon them and
guarded by a sentry whose grooming
they could hear, shared such comfort
as a pitcher of water and a gloomy
outlook afforded. The darkness hid the
medley of odds and ends which Uttered
their prison; but the inner Of the two
slit-lfke windows that lighted the room
admitted a thin shaft of freight that,
dancing among the uncovered %rafters.
told of the orgy below. Bale, staring
morosely at the crowd about the fire
crouched in the splay of the window,
while the Colonel, in the same position
at the other window, gazed with feel
ings not more cheerful on the dark
lake.
He was concerned for himself and his
companion. But he was more gravely
concerned for those whose advocate he
had made himself-for the ignorant cot
tiers in their lowly novels, the women.
the children, upon whom the inevitable
punishment would fall. He doubted,
now that it was too late, the wisdom OF
the course he had taken; and, blaming
himself for precipitation. he fancied
that if he had acted with a little more
guile, a little less haste, his remon-
STRANGE might have had greater weight.
William Bale, as was natural, thought
more OF his own position. May the
fire burn hem" he muttered, his ire
excited by some FRANKS of the party
below. THE Turks were polite beside
these barefoot devils!"
You'd have said the other thing at
Bender" the Colonel answered, turning
his head.
"Ay. your honor" Bale returned; "a
man never knows when he is well off,,
His master laughed. I'd have you
apply that now" he said.
80 I would If 1t weren't that rye a
kind of q scunneT at those black bog
holes" Bale said. ITO be planted head
first's no proper end Of a man, to my
thinking. and If there's not something
of the kind in these ragamuflns' minds
I'm precious mistaken"
pooh, nan you're frightening YOUR
SELF" the Colonel answered. But the
room was dark n chill, the lake with
out lay lonely, and picture where Bales
words called up was not pleasant to
they'd not think of It'll"
There's one, and that's the young
lady's brother" Bale answered darkly,
would not pull us out by the feet!
I'll swear to that. Your honor's too
much in his way, If what they say in
the house is rue"
"Pooh!" the Colonel answered again.
Were of one blood
"Cain and Abel" Bale said. There's
example for It," And he chuckled.
The Colonel scolded him anew. But
having done SO he could not shake off
the impression which the mans words
had made on him. While he lived he
was a constant and an irritating check
upon James McMurrough. If the young
man saw a chance Of getting rid Of that
check, was he one to put it from him?
Colonel Johns face grew long as he
pondered the question:; he had seen
enough of James to feel considerable
doubt about the answer The fire on
the height above the AXE had died
down, the n on the strand was a
bed Of red ashes. The AXE lay buried
In darkness, from which at intervals
the cry of an owl as 1t moused along
the sore rose m~ournfully.
But Colonel John was not one to give
way to fears that might be baseless.
LET US Sleep" he said, Struggling his
shoulders. He lay down where he was.
pillowing his head on a fishing net.
Bale said nothing, but examined tha
the threshold.
Half an hou after dawn they were
reused. 1t was a heavy tramping on
the stairs that awakened them, The
door was quickly unlocked, 1t was
thrown open, and the hairy face Of
O'Sullivan Og, who held it wide, looked
in. Behind him Were two Of the bows
with pikes-frowsy, savage, repe1lent
figures, with drugget coats tied by the
sleeves about their necks.
You'll be coming with US, Colonel
no less" Og said.
Colonel John looked at him. whittier.
my man?" he asked cody. He and
Bare had got to their feet at the frss
alarm.
Continued Next Week.