Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1921-07-28
mo, l never did"

'Well, then, take the advice of an
officer Of the French army resident in
Dublin" continued Boyne, laughing,
"who has the honor of being received
as the friend Of Mr.. Dyck Calhoun Of
PlaymOre! Take your hand in the
game that's going on! For man as
young as you, with brains and ambi-
ton, there's no height he mightn't
reach in this country. Think Of it
Ireland free from English CONTROL
Ireland, with all her dreams, living
her own life, fearless, Independent,
as it was in days of yore. Why,
what's to prevent you, Dyck Calhoun,
from being president of the Irish re-
public? You have brains, looks, skill
and a wonderful tongue. None but a
young man could take on the job, for
it will require holiness, skill and the
recklessness of perfect courage. Isn't
1t good enough for your
whats the way to do it?' asked
Dyck. still holding on to his old self
grimly. "HOw is it to be dOne?" He
spoke little thicllly, for, in spite of
himself, the wine was clOgging his
senses. 1t had been artistically
drugged by BOyne.
Listen to me, Calhoun" continued
Boyne. 1--WE known you now some
time We've come in and gone out
together This day was inevitable.
You were bound to come to it one
way or another. Man, you have
heart of iron; you have the courage
Of Caesar or Alexander; you have the
chance Of doing what no Englishman
could ever do-Cromwell, or any 9TH
er. Well, then, don't you see the fate
full moment has come in Irish life and
history? Strife everywhere! Alone,
what can we do? Alone, if we try to
shake off the yoke that binds us we
shall be shattered, and our last end
be worse than our first. But with
French ships, French officers and sol
diers, French guns and ammunition,
with the trained men of the French
army to take control here, what ameli-
! grafton of our weakness, what con-
| fidence and skill on our side Can
you doubt what the end will be? An
swer me, man; don't you see it all?
Isn't it clear to you? Doesn't such a
cause enlist your"
With a sudden burst of primitive
anger, Dyck got to his feet, staggering
q little, but grasping the fatal mean
| ing of the whole thing. He looked
Erris Boyne in the eyes. His own
were blOOdshOt and dissipated, but
there was look in them of which
| Boyne might well take heed.
Il tell you this, Erris Boyne; there's
none has ever tried me as you have
done! What do you think l ana
thing of the dirty street corner some
thing to be swept up and cast into the
furnace Of treason? Look, you At
| ter today you and l will never break
| bread or drink wine together. No
| by Heaven, no! l don't know whether
| you've told me the truth or not, but
l think you have. There's this to say
i shall go from this place to Dublin
| castle and shall tell them there
| Without mentioning your name-what
| you've told about the French raid.
Now, look you by God, you're traitor.
You oughtn't to live, and if you'll send
! your seconds to me I'll try and do
with you as l did with Leonard NAL
low. Only mark me, Erris Boyne.
I'll put my sword into your heart.
You understandable your filthy
hearth
At that moment the door of the
room opened, and face looked in
for an instant-the face Of old Swim
ton, the landlord of the Harp and
Crown. Suddenly Boyne's look
changed. He burst into laugh, and
brought his fists down on the table
between them with bang.
"By Joseph and by Mary, but you're
patriot, Calhoun! / was trying to
test you. l was searching to find the
innermost soul of you. The French
fleet, my commission in the French
army, and my story about the landlord
are all bOsh. If I meant what l told
you, do you think I'd have been SO
mad as to tell you so much, d-n 1T
Have you no sense, mann L wanted
to find out exactly how you stood
faithful or unfaithful to the crown
and I've found out. Sit down, sill
down, Calhoun, dear lad. Take your
hand off your sword. Remember
these are terrible days. Everything
l said about Ireland is true. What
said about France Is false. Sit down
man. and If you're going to join the
kings army-as hope and trust you
will-then here's something to hell
you face the time between" He threw
on the table packet Of notes
They're good and healthy, and vii
buy you what you need. There's not
much. There's only hundred pounds
but l give 1t to you with all my heart
and you can pay it back when the
kings money comes to you, or wher
you marry a rich woman"
He said 1t all with smile on his
face. It was done so cleverly, will
50 much simulated sincerity, tha
Dyck, in his state Of semi-drunken
ness, could not, ut the instant, place
him in his trup lipht