The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-10-21
CHAPTHR K-Contnued
sopyrIeht. I9O0. 81 stanIsy .. weyman,l

q call FOR secrecy therefore. The
OBeirnes slept In a room divided from
his only by a thin partition; n to
gain the stairs he must pass the doors
OF other chambers, all Inhabited. As
softly as he could, and as quickly, he
dressed himself. He took his boots In
his hand; his sword. perhaps from old
habit under his other arm; in this
guise he crept from the room and down
the dusky staircase. old Darby and an
underling were snoring in the cub.
which In the daytime passed for q PAM
try. and both by day and by night gave
forth a smell OF sour corks and mice;
but Colonel John slid by the open door
as noiselessly as a shadow. found the
back door--which led to the fOld-yard
Ion the latch. and stepped out into the
cool, dark morning, into the SOLDERING
air.
The grass was still gray hued. the
world still colorless and mysterious,
the house a long black hulk against a
slowly tightening sky.
Colonel John paused OF the door step
to draw ON his boots, then he picked
his way delicately 70 the leather hung
wicket that broke the hedge which
served for q fence to the garden On
the right side OF the wicket q row OF
tall Florence yNws, set within the
hedge. screened the ~pleaSaunce, such
as II was, from the house. Under the
lee Of these ne found Uncle ulick
striding to and fro and biting his finger
nails ia his impatience.
He wrung the Colonel's hand and
looked into his face. You'll do me the
Justice, John Sullivan he said, with q
touch OF passion, that neve In my life
have / been over hasty2 EhR VIII
you do me that?'
Certainly, Ullck," Colonel John an
swered, wondering much what was
coming.
And that I'm no coward. where it's
not a question OF trouble?''
TIL do you that justice. too the
Colonel answered. He smiled at the
reservation.
The big man did not smile. ''Then
you1l take my word for It." he replied.
that I'm not speaking idly when I say
you must 60"
Colonel John lifted his eyebrows.
"Go2" he answered. do you mean
nowP'
sAy. now, or before noonl" Uncle
Ulfck retorted. ttMore by token he
continued. with bitterness, SITS not
that o might 60 on the instant that
I've brought you put OF our own house
as IL we were a couple OF rapparees or
horse thieves, but that you might hear
IL from me who wish you well, I'M
stead OF from those who maybe'n not
put ii SO kindly, nor be SO wishful for
you TO be taking the warning they
give"
rs II Flayia you're meaning r
mo; and don't you be thinking it,
Uncle Ulick replied with a touch OF
heat, "Not the least bit Of it. John.
Sullivan! The girl, God bless her, Is
as honest as the day, if
III she's not very WISE" Colonel John
said smiling
You may PUT It that way IL you
please. For the matter OF that, you'll
be thinking she's not the only fool at
Morristown, nor the oldest, nor the big
gest. But the blood must run slow, and
the breast be cold. that sees the way
the Saxons are hooking us and locks
the tongue In silence. And sure there's
no more to be said but just thls--that
there's those here you'll be wise not to
see! And you'll get a hint TO that end
before the SUMS high"
And you'd have me take lt2"
YOU'D be mad not to take itiD Uncle
UlIck replied frowning. isn't Il for
that I'm out OF my warm bed, and the
mist not Off the lake,"
You'd have me give way to them
and goT'
Faith and / wouldT'
Would you do that same yourself,
Ulick2''
FOR certain"
And be sorry for II afterward!"
mot the least taste In Hfel" Uncle
Ulick asseyerated.
And be sorry for IL afterward," Col
onel John repeated quietly. "Kinsman,
come here" he continued, with unusual
gravity. And taking Uncle Ulick by the
arm he led him to the end OF the gar
den, where the walk looked on the lake
and bore some likeness TO a roughly
made terrace. Pausing where the black
masses OF the Florence 1ews, most
funereal OF trees, still sheltered their
forms from the house, he stood silent.
Here and there on the slopes which
faced them q cotter's hovel stood soli-
tary In its potato patch or its plot OF
oats. In more than one place three or
four cottages made up a tiny hamlet,
from which the smoke would presently
rise. TO English. eyes the scene, these
Gases in the limitless brownSof the bog,
had been wild and rude, but TO Colonel
John 1t spoke OF peace and safety and
comfort, and even OF a narrow plenty.
The soft Irish air Tapped Il, the dis
tances were mellow, memories OF boy
hood rounded Off all that was insight
ly or Geld.
He pointed here and there with his
and with seeming i~rrelevance.
You'd be gorry afterward," he said,
49, - 80 ~ - oAAkns 4. A0A
forbid l should deny that even for this
too high d price may be paid. But IL
you play this away In wantonness-if
which you are all planning come
about, and you fall as they failed I'm
Scotland three years back, ii Is OF this.
b Is Of the women and the children an
Ter these roots that will go up in
smoke, that you'll be thinking, Ulick,
tt the lastI Believe me or not, this is
the last thing youth see. It's to a bur-
den as well as an honor you're born
men DON caps to you; and it's
that burden win lie the black weight
on your soul at the last. There's old
Darby and O'Sullivan Ogss wife-and
Pat Mahony and Judy Mahoney's four
and the three Sullivans at the
landing, and Phil the crowder and the
seven tenants at Killabogue-it's OF
them. It's OF them"-as he spoke his
finger moved from hovel TO howell
land their like I'm thinking. You cry
them and they follow, for they're your
folks born. But what do they know
OF England or England's strength, or
IS against them, on the certain
end? They think, poor souls, because