Part 24 (1/2)

”I can't hear them plain enough,” she said, on her return, ”but whatever it is, I can undherstan' that the most of them all is against it. In G.o.d's name, at any rate, stay where you are--they're risin' to go home, and as the night's light they'd be sure to pounce upon you if you attempted to escape. Whatever I can do to save you from harm here I will.”

The poor woman's escape from detection, while performing the friendly office of listening, was indeed very narrow. Short and hurried as her last advice to M'Carthy was, the words in which she conveyed it had scarcely been uttered, when her husband, accompanied by three persons, their faces still blackened, made his appearance. They took seats in silence around the fire, and one of them, handing over a bottle of whiskey to Finnerty, merely nodded, as much as to say, pa.s.s that about.

Finnerty accordingly did so, and each of them drank a gla.s.s or two, after which they were silent as before. This silence, to M'Carthy, began to wear a solemn and a fearful aspect, especially as he knew enough of the habits of the people to be aware, that in drinking whiskey is often resorted to in order to deaden their moral, perceptions, or, in other words, as a stimulant to crime.

At length, after about a quarter of an hour had elapsed, and three of them--that is to say, two of the strangers and Finnerty--had each drank three gla.s.ses of spirits, the fourth, who had taken only one gla.s.s, beckoned to the other two to follow him.

”I think,” said he, ”they are all gone, and the coast is clear.”

In this man's voice, M'Carthy, to his infinite delight, once more recognized that of his unknown well-wisher. Be this as it may, he and the other two left the house, and, as the reader is no doubt interested in their movements, we shall permit him to follow them to the dining-room of the shooting-lodge, where the meeting had just been held.

”Very well, then,” he proceeded, ”it is so best, as none of us can become a traitor against the rest. Shew me your pistols; for, as I'm an ould soger, I'll regulate them for you better than you'll be able to do yourselves.”

He accordingly took their pistols, examined them closely, fixed the powder in the pans, adding' a fresh supply of priming from a little goat's horn which he carried in his-pocket. He then took out his own, which he simply looked at, and again returned to his pocket.

”Now,” said he, ”our best plan is to take him about the small o' the back, when he's before us, one only at a time; you,” said he, addressing the tallest, ”will fire first; you,”--to the other--”next if he misses him; and, as I'm the boy that doesn't miss my mark, I'll take him down, never fear, if he should escape either of you. Come now, let us go in and get him to his legs, that we may start.”

On making their appearance again, Finnerty approached M'Carthy, and exclaimed as before, but on this occasion with a loud and earnest voice, ”Come, sir, get up if you plaise; it's time for you to meet the car.” To this M'Carthy made no reply.

”Come, sir,” repeated Finnerty, ”bounce; hillo, I say, Mr. M'Carthy; up wid you, sir, the car will be waitin' for you;” and he gave him a slap on the shoulder as he spoke.

”Hallo!” exclaimed the pretended sleeper, ”have a care--easy,'

easy--what's that? who are you?--eh--aw--oh, dear me, where am I?”

”In a friend's house, sir; get up, you know Mr. Purcel's car is waitin'

for you at the mountain road below.”

M'Carthy started to his feet, and on looking about him, exclaimed, ”How is this, Finnerty? why are the faces of these men blackened?”

”Never you mind that, sir,” replied Finnerty, ”they are two or three poor fellows that's on their keepin' in regard to havin' paid their t.i.thes against the will o' the people; an' they don't wish to be known, that's all.”

”Well,” replied M'Carthy, ”that's their own affair, and neither yours nor mine, Finnerty. Come, then, are you ready? for I am.”

”These boys, Mr. M'Carthy, has promised to take the best care of you while in their company, an' as they're goin' to the mountain road, where your're to meet the car, they'll bring you safe, sir.”

”Most certainly not, Finnerty,” replied the other; ”I shall be escorted by no person or persons ashamed to show their faces. If you refuse to come, you break your word with me; but, in any event, I shall not travel with these men. I am too well aware of the disturbed state of the country, and that, being a friend of Mr. Purcel, I may not be popular. I consider myself, however, under your protection and under the protection of your roof, and for this reason I shall hold you accountable for my safety; and, at all events, unless you insist on expelling me, I shall remain where I am until morning.”

”Why, if you insist upon it, I'll go,” replied Finnerty, and four friends about you will be betther and safer than one; but in troth, to tell you the truth, Mr. M'Carthy, I'm a'most fairly knocked up myself, havin' been down the counthry and through the hills the greater part of the day. I have a great number of cattle to look afther, an' am seldom off my foot.”

”Don't, sir,” said his wife, in tones which were now perfectly intelligible to him, ”don't ax poor Frank to go wid you tonight; you'll be as well widout him, especially as the night's so bright and clear; he's tired indeed, and, be the same token, I don't like to be here in the clouds of the night, wid n.o.body wid me but myself.”

”If you're a gentlemen, sir,” said the friendly voice, ”you won't take this honest man from his wife at such an hour o' the night. If you take my advice too, I'd recommend you to come along wid ourselves at wanst.”

There was no mistaking the friendly voice embodied in these words, as well as in those of Mrs. Finnerty. M'Carthy accordingly replied:--

”Very, well, Finnerty, I will proceed with these men. I should indeed be sorry to cause you any additional fatigue, or to fetch you from your house at such an hour. I will therefore put myself under the protection and guidance of these worthy fellows, who, I hope, will remember that although a friend to Mr. Purcel personally, yet I am none to any harshness he may have resorted to for the recovery of his t.i.thes.”

”There's n.o.body here,” replied the still friendly voice, ”inclined to offer you any offense, bekaise you happen to be a friend to Mr.

Purcel”--and there was a marked emphasis laid upon the name--”so now,”

the voice proceeded, ”you may make your mind aisy on that head.”