Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-02-18

~ oSifa toA'AAh
table.
sits rot knowing what to do. we
are, "Morty said.
He did not look at her. nor did his
brother. Her heart sank. What is
it 2" she asked.
''The tends i'm the man." Morty re-
piled, tapping with his fingers on the
table. "But-it's you will be telling
her, Phelim.'
its he that's not content Phelim
muttered. 1.-THE thief of the world"
Course him." cried his brother.
mot content?' she echoed. after
what he's done?" Then the downcast
demeanor OF the two told the story, and
she gasped. Hes ~for-ighting my
%brother?" she whispered.
Hell be content with no less" Nor
~ answered, with a groan. Bad cess
to him! And The McMurrough-sure
he's no stomach for it. And whirra,
whirra, on hat the man says he'll be
telling it in Tralee that he'd not meet
him. and as far as Galway City he'll
cut his comb for him! Ay, bedad. he
says that"
She listened, despairing. The house
was quiet, as houses IL. the country are
of an afternoon. Her thoughts were
no longer with the injured man, how
ever, but in that other room, where her
brother lurked in shameful fear that
B III Il IdiiieltSS IldH hight nave DStlI
pardoned. but in him, head OF his race,
last of his race, never! She came of
heroes. To her the strain had descend
ed pure and untainted, and she would
rather have seen him dead. The two
men before her, she was very sure,
would have taken up the glove, unwill-
ingly II perforce, but they would
have fought! While her brother, The
McMurrough-. But even while she
thought OF it she saw through the
open door the figure OF a man saunter
slowly past the courtyard gates, his
sword unde his arm. 1t was the Eng
lishman. She felt the added sting. Her
cheek, that had been pale, burned dark
ly.
"St. Patrick fly away with the toad
and the ugly smile of him!" Morty said.
I'm thinking it's between the two of
us, Phelim, my jewel! And he that's
killed will help the other"
Heaven forbid" Flavia cried, pale
w!th horror at tho thought. No an-
other!"
But sure, and I'm not seeing how
else Wen get rid of him handsomely"
Phelim replied.
MOI" she replied firmly. NO! 1
forbid it,"
Again the man sauntered by the en-
trance, and again he cast the same in
solent, smiling look at the house. They
watched him pass, an ominous shadow
in the sunshine, and Fiavia s~huddered.
But what will O be doing, then"
Morty asked. rubbing his chin in per-
plexity. Hes saying that If The Nc
Murorugh'll not meet him by 4 o'clock,
and it isn't short Of it, he'll be riding
his dayi And him once gone he's a
bitter tongue, and 1t will be foul shame
on the house"
Flavia drew in her breath sharply
she had made up her mind. Il know
what I will do" she said. II will tell
him ALL" And she turned to go.
ITS not worth the shoe leather!"
Morty cried after her, letting his scorn
OF James be seen.
But when she returned a minute later
she was followed, not by James Nc
Murrough, sut by Colonel Sullivan. The
colonel's face had lost the brown of
health, but he trod firmly, and his eyes
were clear and kind.
II am willing to help If l can" he
said. What Is your trouble?"
Tell him." Flavia said. averting her
face.
They told him in almost the same
words in which they had broken the
news to her. And the curse of Crom-
well on me, but he's p%arading up and
down now" Morty continued, land
cooking his eye at the sun dial when
ever he passes, as much as to say, is
it coming down you are" till the
hearts fairly melted in me with the
ragei"
And it's shame on US we let him
he!" cried Phelim.
Colonel ohm did not answer. He
was silent even when, under the eyes
of all, the ominous shadow passed
again before the entrance gates-came
and went. He was so long silent that
80 1890 a. Ls-~. 49, Al1 SOD L..
hands "Wha shall we do?" she cried
and in hat cry she betrayed her new
dependence on him.
1T is hard to say Colonel John an
%nounced gravely. His face was very
gloomy, and to hid it or his thoughts
he turned from them and went to one
of the windows
They waited, Flavia with a growing
sense of disappointment. She did not
know what she had thought that he
would do; but she had been confident
that he could help; and it seemed that
he could do no more than others.
He came back to them presently, his
face sad. II will deal with it, he said
and he sighed. You can leave it to
me. DO you.' he continued, address,
ing Morty, "come with me, Mr..
O'Bierne."
He was for leaving them with that.
but Flavia put herself between him
and the door. She fixed her eyes on
his face. What are you going to do?"
she asked In a low voice
II will tell you all-larer," he replied
gently.
NO! now" she retorted. controlling
herself with difficulty, "Now! You are
not going-to fight him.
II am not going TO fight" he an
swered slowly.
Continued Next Week