The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-11-04

garden. Il little aparts from the turmot
and. wrapped in their cioaks. talked In
low voices, debating much OF Sicily and
Naples and the Cardinal and the Medi
terranear fleet, and at times laughing
at some court story. But they said,
strange 70 tell, no word of Tralee or of
( Kenrnare, or of Dublin Castle or wen
OF Connaught. They were no visionar-
les. They had to do With greater things
than these. and In doing them knew
that they must spend to gain. h lives
of q few score peasants, the ruin OF half
n dozen hamlets. what were these re-
side the diversion of a single squadron
from the great pitched fight. already
! fo-eseen, where the excess OF one bat
tloship might win an empire and its
absence might ruin nations?
And n other a and n only,
because his life Ind 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-
fee their pawns.
Colonel Sullivan sat In tn upper room
of n of the two towors1 Int hanked
the entrance to the ~forecourt. Gale
was with him, and the two, with the
uouI uOupll lOChtu NpOH /. LICttk I'll
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 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 Mt the crowd about the fire
crouched in the splay of the window,
while the Colonel, fn'the same position
at h other window, gaZed with feel
ings not more cheerful or the ark
lake. ur.. ..l. .
He was concerned for himself and his
companion. But he was moro grayely
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 IL vas 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, q 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 them!" he muttered, his ire
excited by some pranks OF the party
DG1OW.H '"Ine luTkS were DOllIG D0BluG
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 we'll Off"
His master laughed. "I'd have you
apply that now" he said.
$50 I would II 1t weren't that I've a
kind of a cunne at those black bog
holes,' Bale said. ITO be planted head
first's no proper end OF a man, to my
thinking, and IL there's not something
of the kin In these ragamuffins' minds
I'm precious mistaken" .
Pooh, man.. you're frightening your
SELF" the Colonel answered. But the
room was dark n chill. the lake with
out lay lonely, II picture where Bales
words called up was not pleasant to
the bravest. ITS a civilized land, and
they'd not think of it!'
There's n d, n that's the young
lady's brother" Bale answered darkly.
would not pull us out by the feetl
I'll swear to that. Your honor's too
much in his way, If what they say in
the house is true"
"Pooh!" the Colonel answered again.
We're OF one blood"
Cav 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 of
the impression which tire mans words
had made on him. While he lived he
was q constant and an irritating check
upon James McMurrough. If the young
man saw q chance of getting rid Of that
check, was he one to put II from him?
Colonel Johns face grew long as he
pondered the question; he had seen
enough of James 20 feel considerable
doubt. about the answer. The fire on
the height above the lake had died
down, the one IN the strand was q
bed Of red ashes. The lake lay buried
in darkness, from which at intervals
the cry Of an Cyl al 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 the
door before he stretched himself across
the threshold. ....
Half an hour after dawE they were
| reused. 1t was q heavy tramping on
the stairs that awakened them. The
| door wa 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 boys
with pikes-frowsy, savage, repellent
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 first
alarm.
Continued Next Weekly