Year: 1873

"Onanuou.b


CHATTER XIX.


Winny and Kate had agreed to take q long
walk after mass on the day in question. This
was not o mere trick of Winny's to get rid Of
Tom Mnrdock. Certainly they had not agreed
that 1t should be "their lone =" this was rs
chance might have it !; and it was q gratnitons
addition of Winny's, as calculated to attain
her object; ard we have seen how promptly
she succeeded.


The day was fine, and they wandered along
the rond, so engaged in chat that they scarcely
know how far they were from home. They
had turned down q cross-road before they
Emon-a-knock lived. Kate would have gone
on straight, but Winny could not be induced
to do SO. Kate had her own reasons for wish
ing to go on, while Winny had hers for being
determined not; so they Turned down the road
to their left, intending, ms they had Bnlly -dhu
with them, to come home through the noun
tain pass by Boher-na milthiogue. They had
chat enough for the whole road. Prayers bad
been over early, although it was second mass /;
aud the country people generally dine later
on q holiday than usual. 1t gives the boys and
girls more time to meet and chat and part, and
in some instances to mako new acquaintance.
Bnt whether it had been agreed upon or not,
Winny and Kate appeared likely to have their
walk alone upon this OCCASION; and as nett her
of them could choose their company. they
were not sorry to find the road they had cho-
sen less frequented than the one they had left
Bul1y-dhn scnmpered through the fields Mt
each side of them, and sometimes on u long



to q turn to see if they were coming.


They were now beyond two miles from home
and two-and-ah half more would have compile
ted tho circle they had intended to take but
they were destined to return by the same road
they came, ard in no comfortable or happy
plight; p5ek: ..-, ,o.,.n,;, ,n,, ~, .,. =,
some distance below theW, they perceived
number vi young men engaged playing ut
what they called" long bullets" They would
instinctively have turned back, not wishing,
to run the gauntlet of SO many young men
upon the roadside most of whom must be
strangers; but the said Bnlly -dhu had been
enjoying himself considerably in advance and
they called and called to no purpose. They
could not whistle; aud if Bully heard them
call, he did not heed them. Ife had seen u
large brindled mastif coming toward him
from the crowd with his back up, and a growl
of defiance which he could not mistake. Bully
was no coward ut am time but on this occa-
sion his courage vas more than manifest, be-
ing, as he considered, in sole charge of his mis-
tress and her friend. He was not certain but
his antagonists attack might be directed Us
much against them as against himself and he
stood upon the defensive, with his back mp
also, the hairs of which, from behind his ears
to the butt of his tail, bristied like quilts
upon the fre'ful porcupine." An encounter
WAS now inevitable. The mastiff had shown
determination that nothing but a death
open mouth and roar of confident superiori-
ty upon his weaker rival. 1t was no even
match nothing but poor Bull y-dhu's indom-
nitabie courage and activity could enable him
to stand single combat with his antagonist
for five minutes. Tho first s1arlng and growl-
ing on both sides had now subsidized, and they
were "locked IN each others arms" in a silent
rolling struggle for life or death. A dog fight
of esen the most minor description, has charms
for n crowd OF youngsters; and of course the
long bullets" were left to take care of them.
selves and all the players, rs well as the spec
tators now ran up the road to witness this
contest which was, indeed, far from n minor
concern Poor Winny had screamed when she
saw her dog first rolled by so furious and, Ms
she saw Mt once, so superior u foe. She would
have rushed forward but Kate had restrained
her, as both dangerous and useless. She there
fore threw herself against the bank of the
ditch by tho roadside, continuing to call ont
- for Gods sake for somebody to save her poor
dog. Was there no person there who knew her
and would save hing"


The crowd had by this time formed a ring
round the infurated animals. Some there
were who would have been 6bedicnt to Win
py,s call for help; but the case at present ad-
united OF no relief. notwithstanding poor
Bnlly-uhn pluck and courage, he had still
the worst OF it III fact, his was altogether a
battle of defence, while that of the mastif
was one of frrocIous attack. He had seized
Bully in the first instance at an advantage by
the side of the neck under the ear, meeting
his teeth through the skin, while the bloot
flowed freely from the wound, coloring tn,
mud of the road a dark crimson round wher,
they fought, and nearly choking the mastif





the strife. Now they were upon their hinI
legs again, wrestling like two stout boys for
fall now Bully was down, aud the mastii
rolled his head from side to side, tightenin,
his grip, while the bloody froth besmeare,
himself and his victim, as he might now al
most be called.


" Here map who had not originally been O
the party, was seen running at full speeG
down the hill. 1t was Emon, ,a-khock who a
this jnnotnre had come accidentally upon tn
top Of the hill immediately above them, ant
at once recognizing some Of the party on tn
road, rushed forward to the rescue. He cas-
but glance at the Gogs. He knew them boil
and how utterly hopeless . contest it must b.
for Bnlly-dhu. Like an arrow from a bow, ht
hew to cabin hard by, and seizine q half
lighted sod of turf from the fire, he returnet
to the scene. Now, boys" he cried, " hold
them fast BY the tails aud hind legs and TIl
soon separate them" Two men seized them
Tigers own master was Que. The dogs bay.
ing been drawn by two strong men to their
inii length, but still fastened by the deadly
grip OF the mastif on Bully-dhu's throat.
Emon blew the coal, and applied it to Tigers
Jaw. This was too much for him. He eopld
ohoeFstS9d squeezes and even blows ON the
pose and head, or perhaps iu the excitemept
ne never telt them but Rthe lighted coal he
could not stand, aud yielding At once to the
pain, he let go his hold. The dogs were then
dragged away to distance; Emon-a-knoei-