Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-10-22
Copyright. 1903. BY stanley J. weyman.,


pay dI ilNSLGIy IOI ElLtGls y HoS
a call for secrecy, therefore. The
O'Beirnes slept In a 0 divided from
his only by a thin Partition; and 10
gain the stairs he must pass the doors
Of other chambers, all inhabited. As
softly as he could, and az quickly, ne
dressed himself. He took his boots IN
his hand; his sword, perhaps from old
habit, under his other arm: in this
guise ne crep. from the room and down
the dusky staircase. Old Darby and an
underling were snoring in the cub,
which in the daytime passed for a 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 noiseIessly as a shadow, found the
| back door-which led To the fold -yard
-on the latch. and stepped out into the
cool, dark morning, into the SOLDERING
freshness and the clean, rain washed
air.
The grass was still gray hued, the
world still colorless and mysterious,
the house a. long black hulk against q
slowly tightening sky.
Colonel John paused on the door step
to draw on his boots, then he picked
his way delicately 10 the leather hung
wicket that broke the hedge which
served for a fence to the garden. On
the right side of the wicket a row of
tall Florence yews, set within the
Il nCuSGs SIIEtllEh III PiNone'oAiNNs SA
as ii was, from the house. Under he
lee OF these ne found Uncle Uiick
striding TO and fro and biting his finger
nails in his impotence.
He wrung the ColoneTs hand and
looked into his face. You'll do me the
justice, John sullivan he said, with a
touch of passion. that never in my life
have l been over hasty? En- VIII
you do me that?"
Certainly, Ulick,' Colonel John an
swered. wondering much what was
coming.
And that I'm no coward. where it's
not a question of trouble"
'Tl do you that justice, too" the
| Colonel answered. He smiled at the
reservation.
The big man did not smile. Then
you'll take my word for IT.. he renlied.
that I'm not speaking idly when say
you must go"
Colonel John lifted his eyebrows.
"Go?' he answered. DO you mean
nowT"
Jay. now, or before nooni" Uncle
Ulick retorted. More by token" he
continued, with bitterness, Its not
that you might go on the instant that
I've brought you out of our own house
as if we were a couple of %rapparees or
horse thieves, but that o might hear
it from me who wish you well, in
stead of from those who maybefl not
put ii so kindly, nor be so wishful for
you to be taking the warning they
| give"
as II Flavia you're meaning?"
mo; and don't you be thinking it,
Uncle Ulick replied with a touch OF
heat. Not the least bit of it, John
Sullivanl The girl. God bless her. is
as honest as the day, if
nc shes not very WISE Colonel JOHN
said smiling.
You may put 1t that way If 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 VI slow, and
the breast be cold, that sees the way
the Saxons are hooking US locks
the tongue in silence. And sure there's
no more to. be said but just this-that
there's those here you'll be wise not to
seel And you'll get a hint to that end
before the sun's high"
And you'd have me AXE it?"
You'd be mad not to take it," Uncle
Ulick replied frowning. Isn't it for
that I'm out or my warm bed, and the
mist not off the lake?'
you'd have me give way to them
and go?''
Faith and I would"
Would you do that same yourself,
Ulick?"
FOR certain
And be sorry for 1t afterwardi"
mot the least taste In life," Uncle
Ulick a~sseverated.
. sTfd be sorry for Ii afterward.' COL
onel. John repeated quietly. .tKinsman,
come here" he continued, with unusual
gravity. And taking Uncle Ulick by the
arm ne led nm 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 yews, most
~funereal Of trees, still sheltered their
forms from the house, he stood silent.
Here and there on the slopes which
faced them a cotter's hovel stood soli-
tary In it's potato patch or its plot OF
oats. In more han one place three or
four cottages made up a tiny hamlet,
from which the smoke would presently
rise. To English eyes the scene, these
cases in the limitless brown of the bog,
! had been wild and rude. but to cciGffc,.e
John II spoke Of peace n safety and
comfort, and even of a narrow plenty.
The soft Irish air Tapped 1t, the dis
tanccs were mellow, memories of boy
hood rourded off all that was insight
ly or colo.
He pointed here and there with his
hand and with seeming irr~elevance.
You'd be sorry aftsrward." he said.
sIOr YOU'D tnink OF TINS, Ultck. God
forbid | should deny that even for this
too high a price may be paid. But III
you play This away in wantonness-if
that which you are all planning come
about, n you fail, as they failed in
Scotland three years back. II is of this.
Ii Is of the women and the children ua-
der these roots that will go up in
smoke, that you'n be thinking, Ulick.
at h last. Believe me or not. this is
the last thing you'll see. It's to a bur-
den as well as an honor you're born
where men doff caps to you: and it's
that burden will lie the black weight
on YOU oul at the last. There's old
Darby and O'Sullivan Og's wife-and
Pat Mahony and Judy Mahoney's four
sons. and the three Sullivans at the
landing. and Phil the crowder and the
seven tenants at Killabogue-it's of
them. It's of thcm'-as he spoke his
finger moved from hovel TO hovel-
s.ena theis like Ia. blinking = Oh cry
them and ley follow. for they're your
| folks horn. But what do they know
| OF England or England's strength. or
what Ii against them. or the certain
end? They think. poor souls. because
! they land their spirits and pay no dues.
and the justices look tho ether way
! they him the black prefeet
I ofro{1 - 4hDxnt WIFI ..ou 3nd I vn,,