The Calumet news., 1912-06-14

remounted the mare and away he
went in the moonlight. Riding on to
Tralee. which place he made in half
an hour, he took a road leading north
eastward to Limerick. 1t is Just fifty
miles from Tralee to Limerick. IL
would not do TO ask for relays of
horses, for this might give away the
secret OF his ride. IL was 10 o'clock
when he started. He rode thirty
miles OF the distance. rested his horse
for two hours. then went on, reaching
Limerick at z in the morning. But
Instead of going into the town he left
1t on his right and, crossing the river
Shannon, struck out for Ennis, some
twenty miles farther on. But he had
no Idea of using the mare 10 do this
distance and, now that he was so far
from home, concluded to leave her
with a farmer and take a fresh
mount This he did and mt 10 o'clock
in the morning rode up to an inn in
Ennis.
The bells were ringing for mass,
and Dennis Joined a throng going TO
the church. Seeing a priest going
from his house to the church, Dennis
joined him and said:
Father, desire to make a contribu-
ton on this blessed day of our patron
saint, and beg OF you to receive It,"
To this the priest agreed, and Den
mis- gave him his contribution.
"Now, father" said Dennis, twill you
tell me the time?"
There's n clock in the tower of the
church beyond. You can see for your
self"
I'm nearsighted. viii you use your
own eyes for me?"
"It's 10 o'clock and % minutes"
"Are you surer
'T am"
"And I'm giving you 20 shillngs for
contribution to the church at twenty
five minutes past 10 on the morning Of
st. Patrick's day, and don't you forget
it,"
"I'll not do that" said the priest.
Dennis went back to the inn, ate n
good breakfast and, his horse having
been fed, mounted and rode back to
where he had left the mare. She, too,
had been rested sufficiently to go on
toward home, but at a slow gait. Den
his reached Killarney that night and
the next morning appeared on the
street laughing and talking with his
friends with his usual good nature.
When The O'Grady heard that Den
mis- had remained to face charge of
robbery on the highway he made q
charge against him, and Dennis was
arrested, much TO his apparent sur
prise When the prisoner was brought
before the magistrate for examination
the charge was read and he was asked
whether he pleaded guilty or not guilty.
III could hardly be guilty, your wor-
ship" replied Dennis. seeing that l
was not where the charge specifies at
a time when my accuser was stopped"
'Where were your
81 was In Ennis, your worship"
"That's seventy miles away. At
what time were you in EnnisY
Il was there on the morning of st
Patrick's day"
Can you prove that?"
"Yes. your worship"
"By whom"
'By witness who saw me there at
the time"
Dennis was given opportunity to
bring his witness to Killarney, and
when a priest of the church testified
that the prisoner gave him on st. Pat
rick's day, at 1925 in the morning, 20
shillings, no one dared gainsay the
truth of the statement. There was
but one inference to be made. which
was that The O'Grady was mistaken
in his man.
Nevertheless The O'Grady was not
only sure that Dennis was the person
that he had met on the highway. but
was sure that he had intended to rob
him. II he had had no such design he
would have admitted his identity and
disclaimed any intention except to
learn the time. The accuser clustered
and asked for time to prove that the
alibi was a put up job, but those pres
ent at the trial considered this mark
Of disrespect for the priest who had
given testimony. and the magistrate
denied the request. Dennis was ac-
quilted and carried out of the court
on the shoulders of his friends.
Now, Eileen Mavourneens father
was good old Irish gentleman. one
of the rare old stock" and, though he
certainly would not have n highway
man for a sonin-law, he was highly
appreciative OF the shrewdness OF his
race. During Dennis Imprisonment
he constantly reminded his daughter
that he had been right about her lover
from the first. Eileen said nothing till
after Dennis was acquitted. when she
told her father the whole story.
The old gentleman laughed all that
day and, since he did not like The
O'Grady over much, vowed that the
defense was the smartest trick that
had ever been perpetrated in the coun-
ty. He told Eileen to bring Dennis
to dinner that he might hear the story
from his own lips. Dennis came, and
the old gentleman was much pleased
with the energy and rapidity of his
movement, but when he heard that
Eileen had proposed the plan he was
delighted and, taking his daughter in