The Irish standard., 1911-10-21

probably by the smoke which
streamed from the chimney.top.
CHAPTER Viii.
Mrs. 6ungay Defends Her Hearth
stone.
A hand pressing hard upon my arm
brought back my scattered senses
with rush. It was Mrs. Brennan
who stood there, her face whitened
by anxiety, her eyes peering anxiously
through the opening Of the door.
Surely those men are not soldiers,
Captain Wayne!" she exclaimed.
"They wear uniforms of both armies"
mo douh+ they are guerillas." I an.
swered, drawing her back from where
she might be seen In their approach.
I'VE must find hiding If possible, for
you shall never fall into such hands.
Bungay!"
I turned toward wf.re the little
giant had been sitting, but he was not
to be seen. However, the sound of my
voice aroused Maria to full sense Of
our danger, nor was she a woman
to hesitate in such emergency. With
a single stride she crossed the mar.
row room. caught the white-faced hero
by the collar of his shirt, dragged him
ignominiously forth from beneath the
table where he had sought refuge,
shook him as she would shake toy
dog, until his teeth ratified, and then
flung him out Of the door leading into
the back shed. 1t was do:le so ex.
peditiously that I could only gasp.
"Now inter Their hole with ye, Jed
Bungay-you an yer dorgs," she
painted furiously. can you uns foller
him. reckon I'm able ter handle tibet
lot out thar, even If it should be Red
Lowrie and his gang"
Catching firm hold of Mrs. Bren.
mans hand I sprang down the single
step and closed the door tight behind
us. Jed had scrambled to his feet,
and rubbing himself vigorously with
one hand, utilized the other to drag
outward q rough cupboard, which ap.
peared to be portion Of the house
itself. AS it swung open there was re-
vealed behind it fair-sized opening
extending into the face of the hill. It
was a most ingenious arrangement,
doubtless finding frequent use in those
troublesome times. It's presence par
TALLY explained how Jed had thus far
escaped the CONSUMPTION officer Into
this hole we entered one at time,
and when the heavy cupboard had
been silently drawn back into place,
found ourselves enveloped in such
total darkness as to make any move
ment a dangerous operation. I felt
the clasp of my companions hand
tighten, and knew that her whole form
was trembling from intense excite
ment.
DO not permit the darkness to
alarm you," whispered softly, bend.
Ing down as spoke until I could
feel her quick BREATHING against my
cheek. "Our visitors are not likely to
remain longer than will be necessary
to get something to eat They need
never suspect our presence, and all
we have to do is to wait patiently
until they move on. I only wish I
could discover something upon which
you might sit down"
"Pray do not think me a coward"
she answered, "but I have heard Of
this man Lowrie in the Federal camps,
and would rather die than fall into
his hands"
I had heard Of him also, and of his
outrageous treatment of women. The
caused mo to clasp my hand
warmly over hers, and set my teeth
hard.
1T may not prove to be Lowrie at
ALL" I said soberly; "but all these
gentry are pretty mu.n alike, I fear.
However, / promise that you shall
never fall alive into. the hands of any
Of their breed"
Before she could answer me other
than by slight nesting closer in the
darkness, Bungay whispered: This
yere hole. Cap, leads down ter the
A6AtS al NOAACo OuL al d 6OIL " gully
bout hundred feet back. Thar's
light 'nough ter see ter walk by alter
ye turn the corner, bout twenty
feet er so. You uns kin go on down
thar If ye'd rather, follerin' ther dorgs.
but 1 reckon as how I'll stay right
yere an sorter see how Their OF woman
comes out.
" Where, where was Roderick then?
One blast upon his bngle horn
Were worth thousands men,
If you uns like ter see burned good
fight maybe ye better stay tew-ther
OIL woman is pisen II she once gifts her
dander up"
His voice was expressive Of great
and / had reason to be.