Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-12-17
CHAPTER XIV.
FEMINA FURENs.

Colonel John had run little risk Of
being wrong in taking for granted that
the meeting at the Carraghalin. mys-
~tcriously robbed of the chiefs from over
the seas, would dispense; either amid
the peals of Homeric laughter that in
ireland greet a monster jest; or, in sad
der mood, cursing the detested Saxon
for one more added TO the many wrongs
OF a downtrodden land.
Had Flavia escaped, her courage and
enthusiasm might have supported the
spirits of the assemblage and Kept 1t
together. But Uncle Ulick had not the
force TO do this; much less had old
Timothy CT Sir Denny.
Their views were more singular than
cheerful.
VERY like Sir Denny said, with a
fallen underlip, THE old earth's opened
her mouth and swallowed them. She's
tired, small blame TO her, with all the
ifs-roics b~uruenirg her n ~torrnenting
her.
"whisht, mani the other answered.
1'Be easy; you're forgetting ones a
bishop. Small chance of the devils
tackling him, and like enough the holy
water and all ready 10 his handl"
s.Then I'm not knowing What IL is"
the first pronounced. hopelessly.
There o speak h truth" Sir
Donny,". Tim Burke answered. rs ii
they can be losing their way In the least
taste OF fog there Is, do you think?'
And the young lady knowing the
path. so that she'd be walking II blind
fold in the dark"
I'm fearing, then, ii will be the gar
rison from Tralee," was Uncle Ulick's
contribution. THE saints be between
us and them, and grant we'll not be
seeing more Of them than we like, n
sooner"
Amen to that same" replied old
Timothy Burke with an uneasy look
behind him.
mere was nothing comforting in
this. The messengers sent to learn
why the expected party did not arrive
had as little cheer 10 give, they could
learn nothing. An hour went by, a sec
ond and a part OF a third; messengers
departed and came, n presently
something like the truth got abroad.
Still the greater part of the assemblage,
with Irish patience, remained seated in
ranks on the slopes OF the hills, the
women with their drugget snawls
as.sss csss-- hSssT heads, the iIieIi with
their fsicze coat hanging loose about
them.
But a time came, about high noon,
hen the a-ssemblage-and the fog-be-
gan at last to melt. Sir Donny was
gone. and old Tim Burke, of Maamtras-
ma. They had slipped homeward, by
4 I1IfkC Known lTdChb dSIOSS the peat
hogs: and. the spirit all gone out or
them. lss.aStarned their minds TO oaths
and alibis. They had been In trouble
before. ard were taken TO know; and
their departure Slapped the O'Beirnes'
resolution, whose uneasy faces as they
talked together spread the c~ontagton.
An hour after Sir Denny had slipped
awav. the movement which might have
$3.50 ss..eh &c 81 es%-a spent.
frha SLOPES about ~Carraghalin had re-
.,,Sued Ia their wonfAd s0lifnda. nslaase
h53adreds rad sat d short hour before
I've eagle lowered. h fox a turned
his head and scented the wind.
Doubtless in the minds OF some a
secret t-hankfuIness that, after all. they
were not required To- take tat leap re-
lleyed the disappointment. They We're
well out OF an ugly scrape, Well clear
az the shadow of the gallows~~always
ennposin~ that no infcrmer appeared.
II might even be the hand OF providence
that had fer1ovsd their leaders and
held them back They might think
themselves happy ~ os ault 81 y for
p,,t there was one who found no such
fonsolatior. to whom the issue waa
pt,re loss. 4 shameful defeat, the y q
homes. thp defeat OF prayers mat Ia
never risen To heaven more purely tnah
Flaxia Vat with her eyes on thed dead
.oeat that ~curnberod the hearth ana ~
"a sfupor of misery refused 20 pc com
fortad OF ner plans. OF her deyStton'
81 her lofty resolves. this Was thu ~