The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-06-26
CHAPTER XXYIII.


The preservation of my brother Is life
in the first instance and his final escape
from his place of Imprisonment were
both due. as often heard my father as
sert and as Jack and myself also be-
lieved, to the grace of God and not the
wisdom of man. The police and the
coast guards were quito at loss all
through and could do nothing. Even
the clever detective who came from
Dublin and spent a fortnight here OBJ
serving and considering went away
again in a sort Of passion. 1t was the
extraordinary vision seen by my little
brother Charley that led him to roll
loaves into the place where Jack was
really imprisoned and SO perhaps saved
his life. Finally myself found out the
secret Of his Imprisonment, not by any
wise calculations, but by sort of in
SEPARATION Which came to mo quite unso-
licited. One day-shall ever forget
it?-a whimsical thought, but really a
prompting of Providence, came upon
mo as sat at the table just before
breakfast balancing spoon on the edge
of teacup and thinking about Jack.
Might not something happen or some
idea strike mo if were to go to Dhn-
Corrig fishing for Gunner, just as my
brother did? When lost an arrow, l
used to come back to tho spot whence I
shot 1T and shoot another in tho same
direction and with equal force in order
to find tho first. 1t was this that put
me in mind of the plan which l was
now about to execute. I said nothing
about it to any one, but taking my rod
set off for Dhu-Corrig. fished care
lessly or pretended to fish for some timo.
Then got tired. ''This," l said, "is
perhaps how Jack felt six months ago.
Fish not taking, nothing to do. will
try another rock, but there are mono
here,on tho right, only tho sheer wall
Of cliff; try leftward them" clam
bered along here till came to a deep
assure in tho cliff side. 1t ran sheer
down to tho sea, really rather horri-
BILE chasm or long profound cleft, ut tho
bottom Of which the sullen waters SEEM
ed talking to themselves. I had al
ready explored this cavern by sea, hav-
ing sculled a boat through it from end
to end, for it was too narrow for row.
ing. Where now stood it was too wido
to leap across, but as looked up and
down l saw a place where an active
leaper, gifted with fair share of nerve,
might leap it over. Not that the cleft
was really SO very wide at this point.
but tho nar1owness Of the foothold ut
the other side and tho darkness and
depth Of tho abyss below brought tho
consequences of failure before the i'm
agination in somewhat appalling man.
ner. Still keeping my rod in my hand.
l leaped it, right glad to find that my
foot did not slip on tho narrow and
sloping ledge at tho other side. Just
then tho conviction started suddenly
into my mind that was on Jacks
traces. My heart beat so that could
hear it, and l had to stand still for con-
siderable time before its beatings and
my general agitation would permit me
to 60 on. I was now on the side of an al
most sheer cliff, one which, when seen
from the water, seemed quite sheer and
untraversable, but found little ledge
like road leading onward and upward.
One part Of it was very dangerous, but
alter passing this l came upon rough,
craggy ground, quite easy to get over.
This rough way led steadily upward
along the face Of the cliff. BY It alone
was the rock traversable. and It was