Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1921-07-28

llHle lluu COlne when Dy DOlu eIlOTl lie
might get young Calhoun wholly into
his power. He began by getting Dyck
into the street. Then he took him by
an indirect route to what was, re-
putedly, tavern of consequence. Out
wardly 1t was a tavern of the old
class, specifically sedate, and called
the Harp and Crown. None save a
very few conspirators knew how great
part it played in the plan to break
athe government Of Ireland and to ruin
England's position In the land.
The entrance was by two doors
one the ordinary public entrance, the
other at the side of the house, which
was on a corner. This could be
opened by skeleton key owned by
Erris Boyne.
He and Dyck entered, however, by
the general entrance, because Boyne
had forgotten his key. They passed
through the bar-parlor, nodding to one
or two habitues, and presently were
bestowed In a room, not large, but
we'll furnished.
They played cards, and Dyck won.
He won five times what he had lost
at the club. This made him compan-
ionable.'
ats a poor business-cards," he
said at last. 1T puts one up In the
clouds and down in the ditch all at
the same time. tell you this, Boyne
I'm going. to stop. No man ought to
play cards who hasn't fortune; and
my fortune, I'm sorry to say, is onls
my facew He laughed bitterly
"And your sword-you've forgotten
that, Calhoun. You've lot Of luck Ii
your sword"
swell, I've made no money out Of
1t so far" Dyck retorted cynically.
"Yet you've put men with reputa.
tions out of the running, men like
Mallow. Try little more Of this
marsala, Calhoun. It's the best in the
place, and it's got lot Of good stuff.
I've been coming to the Harp and
Crown for many years, and I've never
had d bad drink all that time. The
old landlord Is genius. He doesn't
nut on airs. He's q good man, Is old
Swlnton, and there's nothing good in
the drink of France that you can't get
here"
"Well, If that's true, how does ii
happen?" asked Dyck, with a little
flash of interest. "It means a lot Of
trouble, eh?"
"It means some trouble. But let me
tell you"-he leaned over the table
and laid hand on Dyck's, which was
a little neryous-"let me speak as an
old friend to you, II / may. Here are
the facts. For many year, you know
as well as do, ships have been COM
ing from France to Ireland with the
very best wines and liquors, and TAX
ing back the very best wool--smug-
gled, of course. Well, our little land
lord here is the d-dest rogue Of all.
The customs never touch him. From
the coast the stuff comes up to Dub
lin without check, and, as he's a
special favorite, he gets the best to be.
had In Ia belle France"
"Why is he such favorite?" asked
Dyck.
Erris Boyne laughed, not loudly, but
suggestiyely.
"When q lady kisses man on the
lips, Of her own free will. and puts
her arm around his neck, Is 1t done, do
you think, because it's her duty to do
it or die? No, It's because she likes
the man; because the man Is good
friend to her; because it's money in
her pocket. That's the case with old
Swinton. France kisses him, as 1t
were, because"-he paused, as though
debating what TO say-"because
France knows he'd rather be under
her own revolutionary government
than under the monarchy of England"
His voice had resonance, and, as he
said these words, it had insistence.
"Do you know, Calhoun. | think old
Swlnton is right. We suffer here be-
cause monarchy, with its cruel hand
of iron. mistreats us, brutalizes u.s."
He did not see enlightenment come
into the half-drunken eyes Of Dyck.
He only realized that Dyck was very
still, and strangely. deeply interested.
81 tell you, Calhoun, we need in Ire
land something of the spirit that's
alive in France today. They've cleaned
out the kings-Louis' and Marie's
heads have dropped into the basket.
They're sweeping the dirt out of
France; they're cleaning the dark
places; they're embarrassing Yer
SaiIles and sawduSting the Tuileries;
they're starting for the world refor-
nation which will make It clean. Not
America alone. but England, and all
Europe, will become republics"
"England?" asked Dyck in low.
penetrating voice.
AYE, England. through Ireland. Ire
land will come first, then Wales, Scot
land and England. Dear lad, the great
day Is cOme-the greatest the world
has ever known. France. the spirit Of
If. Is alive. 1t will purge and cleanse
the universe"
The suspicious. alert look passed
from Dyck's eyes. but his face had be-
come flushed. He reached out and
poured himself another glass of wine.
"What you say may be true BOyne.
1t may be true. hut I wouldn't put
faith in it-not for one icy minute. |
don't want to see here In Ireland the