The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1909-09-09

1t was Bale, Colonel Johns servant.
He was mending some article taken
from his masters wardrobe. His elbow
went busily to and fro as he piled the
needle, while sprawling on the sod
about him half a dozen gossoons
watched him inquisitively.
Perhaps it was the suggestive con-
trast between his diligence and their
idleness which irritated F1avia; but
she sat down her annoyance to another
cause. The man was an Englishman,
and therefore an enemy. And what did
he there? Had the Colonel left him on
guard?
Flavia's heart swelled at the thought.
Here, at least, she and hers were mas
ters. Colonel John had awakened
mixed feelings in her. At times'she ad-
mixed feelings in her. AT times she ad-
should rue his insolence if he had 1T in
his mind to push his authority or in
%terfere with her plans.
In the meantime she stood watching
William Bale, and q desire to know
more of the man, and through him of
the master, rose within her. The house
was quiet. The McMurrough and his
following had gone to q cooking match
and race meeting at Joyce's Corner. She
went down the stairs, took her hood,
and crossed the courtyard. Bale did
not look up at her approach, but he
saw her out of the corner of his eye,
and when she paused before him he
laid down his work and made as If he
would rise.
She looked at him with a supercil-
~liousness not natural to her. Are all
the men tatlorS where you come from %
she asked. There, you need not rise"
Where came from last" he replied,
we We're all trades, my lady"
Have you been a soldier long?'' she
asked, feeling herself rebuffed.
"IWenty-One years, my LADY,"
And now you have done with it?"
1T is as his honor pleases."
She frowned. He had a way of
speaking that sounded uncivil to ears
attuned to the soft Irish accent and the
wheedling tone. Yet the man interested
her, and after a moments silence she
fixed her eyes more intently on his
work. Did you lose your fingers In
battle?' she asked. His right hand
vas manned.
NO." he answered, grudgtngly, as he
seemed to answer all her questions, 'in
prison.
In %prison!" she replied. "Where?"
He cast an upward look at his ques-
TONER.
I'm the Grand Turks land,'' he said.
Nea than that l can't say. I'm no
scholar, my lady"
But why?' she asked, puzzled. II
don't understand
Cut off" he said, STOPPING over his
work.
Flavia turned a shade paler. why ?"
she repeated.
lone God, and Mohammed Ills
prophet'-couldn't swallow it. One
fnger!" the man answered jerkily.
Next week-same. Third Week.
Third week." she murmured. shud-
dering.
"Exchanged."
She lifted her eyes with an effort
from his manned hand. How many
were you?" she inquired.
"Thirty-four." He laughed dryly.
w know one another when we meet"
he said. He drew his waxed thread
between his finger and thumb, held it
up to the light. then looking askance
he said was gibberish. They
only Erse.
The day was still, the mist lay on the
lake, and under 1t the water CLEANED,
smooth. pale mirror. Flavia had
1t so a hundred time and thought
OF it. But today, moved by
what she had heard, the prospect spoke
Of a reEloteness from the moving world
which depressed her Hitherto, the
luick pulse and h energy of youth
lad left her no time for melancholy
and not much for thought. If at rare
intervals she had felt herself lonely,
t she had been tempted to think that
he brother in whom were conferred her
her affections and her family
was lard and selfish. rude and
'verbearing, she had told herself that
Ill men were so, that all men rode
oughshod over their women And hat
icing SO, who had a better right to
rector it than the last Of the McMur-
oughs, heir of HI Wicklow kings, who
n days far past had dealt on equal
with Richard Plantagenet, and TIC
whom, by virtue of that forgotten king
hin tho StI11ixynn1 md hNrior -~-.-
# the McCarthys n all the O'Beirnes,
,aid rude homage. With such feelings
Sir MichaeTs strange whim of disin-
the heir Of his race q but
lrawn her closer to her brother. To
Ter loyalty the act was abhorrent. one
hat could have only sprung, she was
from second childhood, the
lotage of a man close on 90, whose
Early years had been STEPPED in trouble
who loved her SC much that he was
'eady to do wrong for her sake.
Often h differed from her brother.
he was a man h told herself, and
must be right--a mans life could
lot be ruled by the laws which a
Noman observed. For the rest, for
if her life seemed solitary she
the free air and the mountains;
ne had her dear land: above all. she
lad her dreams. Perhaps when these
realized-and the time seemed
very near now-and a new ireland was
TO her. too. a brighter world
would open.
She had forgotten Bales presence.
and was only recalled to everyday life
~ the sound OF voices. Four men were
approaching the house. Uncle ulick,
Colonel John and the French skipper
we're three of these: at the sight Of the
Flavia's face fell. Luke AsgilI.
II Batterstown, was the nearest Jus
ice, of necessity he was a Protes-
But it was not this fact, nor the
certainty that Augustin was pouring
lis wrongs into his ears, that affected
Asgili was distasteful to her,
her brother affected him. For
Why should her brother have relations
With a Protestant? Why should he. q
nan Of the Oldest blood, stoop to in
macy with the o Of a "middleman,n
OF those who. taking q long lease
If a great estate and undertaking at
'ack rents. made at this period huge
'ortunes?? Finally, II he must have re-
ations with him. why did he not keep
him at a distance from his home-and
lis sister
1t was too late or she would have
away. Not that Asgill-he was