Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 35, Number 333, 8 October 1910 — Page 2

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III.-' II III I

C HERMIWIE TEMPLE TON

N'E Jane morning on a market day at Fetbard.' while ttx tan was as yet winking and blinking a sleepy eye over the top of shadowy &llere-na-mon. Darby O'Glll stood upon the threshold of his cuttnge, Impatient to be off to the town. "Don't dare tell me another thing," lie said, fiercely. ' MI was only going to say that ye mustn't be stay'n so late at Fctbnrct thnt ye'll have to be takln' the" snort cut home through Ilagan'a meadow afther dark. Ye know they do be sayln' that most nn-ny night now ye ran see lights moving 'round In the ruined abbey where the crocks o gonia are mu. "What put the crocks o' akert Ihirhv.- naolciottslr. could lutll yer head?" "Didn't Mrs. O'llnrn.tell me only last night that ye put the. challenge, on foe ihlinV ' . I. her Dominic to go huntin "Huh! Dominie O'Hara! We hear ducks talkln'! That came out of the bottom of the fourth glass of punch. . Haven't ye an-ny thing slnslble to say, roe good woman?" ' "Faith, I have, an' It's' this: If ye should meet ' np with that bllggard Bothered Bill Donohue. the tinker" Bridget wagged warning finger "have no .'civility for him or he'll be wantln' to come back with ye to splnd the night." The three counties were In Fetbard by the time ' Dnrby reached the old town gate, and from that on It wns a slap on the shoulder here, and a bone-crush-Itig hard shake there, and n "God save ye Darby, me Imiik-IioI !" everywhere, so that the afternoon was come and gone before the busy lad could spare a thought for any or Bridget's commission. But through all the friendly greetings of the day there smoldered a constant worry , in' tile man's mind, for whichever way he turned, the Sharp gray eye of Bothered Bill Donohue, the tinker, followed him from place to place. "Bad lock to Mm." muttered Darby, ruefully. "If I bring the thlevl bllscnrd home wld me Bridget'! skiver-the two of us.' Whist! I know what I'll do, I'll slip lutll Mnryhy's stable here an' bide awhile out et sight. an' whin the. rover's gone I'll whip over to Dugun'e an' luril therbarik dure with inc." No sooner said than dotie. When .at last he ventured over aud poked a cautious head In lit the back door of Dugnn's shop a well-known voice hailed him : -Come In! Dnrby asthore. I've been waltln' for ye this half hour. I'll be goln home wia ye tne mgnt IVii thlnkln'. to' give ye n hand wld the bundles." And there, sitting calmly on an upturned tub, tolled tttiuiPMi mil ik.Vnr.imn th tiuVor . lSuri i , the two wen went stumming along tne aara road. Darby was thinking. "By the llvln' farmer I have It ! I'll tell BUI thnt I'm golu' over to the abbey to dig fof the goold an' I'll ax him to come over an' help me. 'An trlilu he rayfugra me aa ofeourse he will I'll Mnrt Mm on to Bridget, an' It's mesclf wouldn't be In hi brtwrtie thin for tin new shillings." Just then KM spoke iip', ns If vngnely divining what . waa tn his -companion's mind. "My. but ye're the bould man Dnrhy. Q'GUI ! They were sayln' all over tbo market to-day what a courageous hayro ye wor to be golu wld Dominie O'Hnra afther the crocks o Hook! In the mild al!cy." V In spite of the Imndlca the hero's chest swelled. '"Well, I fell ye. Bill." he swaggered. Tin nt n loss .bout takln' thnt same Dmnlulc O'Harn; he has no more coaturoi over- his long tongue' man u it oelungeii to yerself. and the wurruld' knows that f c.i-ry wn&vso mucli.ti's mlutlous n pious wurrud will h he's dlyaJn'ifor thlm crocks o goold, In a twinkle he may be turned Into n big yellow ox, or Into a bit of n starved wrnn. Now ye know yerself, Ttlll. that while Dominic I n nice, daclnt man wld the next of Intlntlotis. he hns wan big fault: ye nlver know wMii he' goln' to rip out wld a God save ye kolndlv or n 'Saints iiresurve us.' Now It's what I wor thluhln' nbout yenf BUI; ye nlver said a pious worrud In yer life; an'- " ! "Bad luck to ine If I'll do It." Interrupted BUI, promptly. "It'll be r.ear midnight be the , time we reach Union's, meadow," went ou Darby, "so we'U lave Domini? O'Hnra go dlggla for himself, an me an you'll- go parfluer." . The offer wns like sousing Bill with a tub of cold water. He stocd still In the road and shivered. "Stliop!? he choUrtU There's uayther luck nor grace lu tnlkln 'that klud o' talk! "I'll go lufo the mciulmv here." "Darby contluued calmly, "an do you, BIU. kae steady on yer way an' 't'll be all .s:ife." The words were Kitoken to the ilarkncHv for Bill had disappeared. . J - If the rround In llngan's mesdow had been covered iv.ith red-hot coal Instead of being carpeted with cucL sweet grnss. Dnrby O'Glll'a feet would not have r.bronk more from coining lu contact with. It. How,cvcr. Bothered BUI. waa not to be trusted; he might Ik watching awl listeulng In the darkness a few feet dowu the rond. s there was nothing left for It, nnd Darby, bracing hi sortl. took the Jump and ran a few step Into fhe hauntetl field. He stood.' striving with every vein of-his body to .tnake out whether the'gllmmer of light In the distance waa from the old abley or whether It was only a friendly star, when there came a pounding toward .him through the darkness a sound of terror tbo quick fall of pursuing footsteps. There weren't, three men In the barony that could throw a .qolcker let before tbem than Darby O'G'.II. and never. before that night .had he put such, speed Into his nimble heels. But. fast ns he went, the thudding footstep behind gained on htm every second. , Suddenly he was electrified by the most terrible cry he had ever heard. It waa a strange voice In a wild, high thrtek, calUnit his name: "Da-urby, Da-arby O'UUt." It walled. "It's the black headless joint from Crong Mah." 'thought Darby, ."and great gorgondies, how did It get tue name?" ,-,.,.,. s And that would have been a mystery for the seven counties ouly that Just then the moon stuck its hesd through the clouds and took a querulous peep at -the Bight. What the knowledgable man saw . then stiffened every nerve and muscle In bis body with angry amaxement; for from whom had he been running but from Bothered BUI Donohue. Darby I Da-arby!-where are ye, Dar-rby?" bleated' BUL Terror had split the tinker's voice Into a piping falsetto. .... , , At the sound, every shred of Darby's fear turned Into white rage. ; "The dlvll mieod ye"" shouted Darby. "Come back ttU I bate the lolfe but of ye. ye umbrageous villain ! Where are yer bundles? What have ye dono .with ' the mackerlir Cot BUI ran on, deaf with terror, and Darby, followed. , The horse that wou the Curragh Cup would have been proud of their company, that night. - ? SfUUa nnrdher, the Omadhaun'a maktn straight for the fairies' .bush." panted Derby. . "Coma back !" ha roared. Then a strange thing happened. Darbyaaw the tinker throw up both arms, and, with a despairing cry. disappear from the face of the earth. ', Now la the aatddle of Ilagan'a meadow stands an ' ancient cheap of hasel trees, known far and wide as

the fairies' bush, and Just beside the bush runs a deep, dry ditch. As BUI went galloping punt with head thrown bark, and eyes bulging in terror, h malicious root reached tip and caught the tinker's heedless feet, and thump! he wns rolling bead orer heels to the Intttotu of the ditch. For a secoud he lay where he had tumbled; but only n second, for In mind and body the tinker was as quhfe as a cat. Indeed, he wns already scrambling to his feet ngalu, and wns on the edge of the bank when Darby O'OIII mine charging along like a mad bull and plunged Into him headfirst. Saints above, but that was the thump ! Freeing hiinself. Darby rose feebly to his knees and began climbing out or. the diteu. me bank was nteep ana slippery wun me uew, no iuui ai una me lad was bard set to get a foothold. He reached the top, however, and was clutching at a bit of twisted root when, to his unspeakable surprise, the root began to twist, and to squirm, and tq wriggle in his hand. Darby raised the thing for a doner look, when suddenly a little foot new out like lightning, and kicked him squarely tu the nose, and a, wee, spiteful voice piped up: "Put . me down, ye thunderln bliggard! Ye've broke the ribs of me sldet Pick up me cap ye nun rerun 1 scboundrel an' put It on me head so I'll have the power to turn you nn that schreelin villain behind ye Into two yellow tomcats." And there, struggling In Darby's fist, was a bareheaded little man In a green velvet Jacket and brown knee-breeches. His snapping black eyes and weazened face were the angriest Darby had ever seen. "Begarrles. Bill, come here. I think I've got the leprechaun !" spluttered Darby. "Ye lie, ye daytracttn mullet-headed dayrogotory vltuperator," raged the little man. "I'm not the leprechaun! I'm Nlal the fiddler, from Slteve-na-mon ; sometimes they call me Nlal the scold, an' I've been waltln' here these three nights to help ye whin ye wlnt dlggln' for the crocks o' goold. This Is the thanks I get. Where have ye been? 'What kep' ye, ye laxy. . fiddle-faddling, pottherln, dawdlia' polthroons.- ' "Aisy, alsy there," warned Darby. "Alst or West, since the day I waa bor-rn, I nlver heard yer aquil for bad langwldge. An' I tell ye now. If ye say wan more of thlm bluggard wurruds I'll rap the little head or J ' stone, icii me. wo n n ?u. f tn' for ui to go dig In' foi the crocks o goold?' of ye agin this stone. Tell me, what d'ye mane about ";", " 'M. Vh- V7;k n w "Sthop tha roared the "P; htM? K ye dare! Walt t 1 r et me cap oir so I can wurruk me spells! I'll I II sussltate the both of yex, ao I Bah, ye unclasslcal. und.yeorlous. umphlbious BUI was the first to recover from tbla deluge of hard names, and. drawing a long breath, he blurted : . , "Be this an' that. Darby. I'll stan no more. Hand the Nlllyputlan here till I souse him." "Oho. is that you. Bill Donohue? Z thought It wat Dominic O'Hara that was In It. Man alive. Darby O'Glll, what are ye doln here with that raycreaat malyfacthor of a corksthrice of a tinker?" "Be alsy now," warned Darby, pushing Bill aside, as he made a thrust at the fairy with his stick. "I'm thlnkln' he's here as a friend. What wor ye sayln. little hayro, about the crocks o goold?" And Darby loosened his fingers so that the fairy stood upright In bis hand.' The little fiddler shook himself and adjusted his cloak. "Well, ns I was ssyin'. we got the wurrud that you an' Dominic O'Hara were goln' to dig for the crocks o goold. an' ns It's little llkln' we Good Teople have for the unconjnynial mootherln' spurrlts that'a guardIn' the crocks these fourteen hundred years-" '"Look at that now!" exulted Darby. "Shure wa thought ye wor nn lnnlmy. To tell the truth, yer honor, Mlsther Donohue here is just a thrifle afeared of meetin' up wld thlm same diseased ghosts." The little fairy flung a glance of withering disdain at the tinker. "What are yex all afeared of? Don't ye know that one of these days yex'll all be ghosts? "I'm not afeared of thlm." bragged Darby, "but I don't lolke 'soclatlng wld the loikes of thlm onless it's necessary. Ould Mrs. Callaghan bad a foine cbarrum thnt ud kape yer heart lifted on the loneliest road and the darkest night; she wasn't afeared of ghost llvln' or desd. and she promised to whusper It to me before she died ; but the poor crnchure forgot the wurruds." "Falx, I've beard that charrnm this hundherds of years." ssld the fairy, "but I'll give you a betther wan. Beside, mlue has a grand chune to It, an' if ye're in any kind of fear or trouble Just trow back yer head nn sing It this away: 0!i l'hndrlg anil Thellm and Bed Conan More The Lehras and I.abras are gntherin. Come out of the mountain, they're weltln me sore, i - Bring yer sojers and champeens to lather 'em. "Now all together," urged the little fellow. The three 'took up the tune and roared it so lustily that 'Krlnir nr on'ora and rhnmnMM.M to lather 'em" was Rrlmr ver solera and champeens to lather 'em was heard a good mile away In her own house by big Mrs. Flaherty, as truthful a woman as lives In the village of Balllnderg. When they had sung the powerful charm many times the little fiddler said: "Well, first and foremost, it's not In the abbey at all that the crocks o' goold are burled, but undher the yew three in the great court where the monks do be lyln'." Tome on. Darby, an' bring the wee man wid ye." crlod Bill, storting up. "Botheration on ye for a tinker." snapped the fairy, "will ye have patience: Ye must begin afther midnight nnd 1ml before cockcrow, an' this is the wsy ye'lt go about It. Ye'll find a bran new pick an a shovel lyln' unug be the abbot's grave; an' ye'll measure foive ; lengths of the pick handle toward the broken gateway nnd there's the Identical spot where ye mnst dig. Ye'll find goold 'nough there to make you and yer ginerations rich forever." , ' Darby gave a great cough Into b." hand, and Bill Donohue swallowed bard at a. big lump that popped luto his throat... ' . "Don't think that the ondertakln Is an alsy wan." warned the fairy, "for there'll. be thlm watchln ye the , while that would sthrike the sight from yer eyes and wither the tongue In yer head." . "An what's to purwlnt thim?" asked Darby. "Ah ha '..that's what I'm here to tell ye. Until the stbroke of midnight the ghosts bey ant are as helpless as a field full of unfant chlldbef. and afther cockcrow they're nayther more nor less than a flock of jackdaws "rooslhin In the ould rune. ..Let yex hurry now before., midnight and. make a ring of holly tunty feet wide around the spot where ye're-to dig. the way the mootherln rapscalliaas can't comewithin band's ruche . of -ye. The ghost of no diseased person can cross a -twig of. holly." v ( "Shure the whole worruld knows that? said: Bill. ."If anyone has a ring of holly around. him no. snupernatural ghost .can bother him." "Hagb! Is that so," sneered the wee. man.. "Well, maybe ye "know this, too, Mr. Di-og-gan-ees the plllosdpher, that If ayther 'Of .the two of ye .spake n ' pious or a rayllgious worrud while ye're dlggln' in that : place, yell nlver raygret It but wance. an that'll be all the days of yer life." ' "Raymlmber that. Bill Donohue," warned Darby. 'an grip yer tongue between yer teeth -or 111 make nrAnffl wnmilr 1 ruiHi " ... . Him V J . ... . . . r

Xial lifted a silencing finger. "Whativer ye see an whativer ye hear," he cautioned, "stir not a stir outside that ring of holly till cockcrow. All the cu Jolin' an' all the conlvin' that can be larned In folve huudhered ginerations '11 be used this night to frighten ye or to coax ye to where they can reach ye." "How'U we know whin it's midnight?" asked Darby. The little fiddler laughed long and low, and the sound of that laugh raided the hair on their bends'. "lver nioind." he said. "If an'ny human bean sets foot In the abbey afther midnight lookln for the crocks o' goold, there'll be lads there an' plinty of thlm that'll let him know the time o'day. And now. Darby O'Glll, rayinlniber to sing that enormia whin yer afeared. Take up me hat now. and put It on me head. Good luck go wld yes i" Whisk he was gone. By and by the drowsy moon, tossing its heavy blanket of clouds to the top of Slieve-na-mon, slipped higher up Into the sky the better to spy out what mischief Bothered Bill Donohue and Darby O'Glll were u to. What was Its surprise to find the two bold adventurers at the very gateway of the ruined cloister. There they stood, their arms bulging with holly, and they hesitating and arguing aa to which should go la first. "You own folve thirds of the goold, so you go In first. Darby O'Glll, that's only fair!", "Take yer elbow out of me back," suddenly roared Darby. "Sthop scroogln me, or be the powers I'll " He said no more, for, with one tremendous lurch, BUI sent the knowledgable man sprawling through . the broken arch and stumbling with great strides into the dim, shadowy cloister. As soon as the tinker made sure that no misfortune had befallen his friend, he followed Darby into the old abbey. AS that was no place for a quarrel, the two set to work, and five minutes later a wide ring of holly encircled the fen"How much whiskey have yes f : ; ;-.r tree, and. In the center of thla hallowed spot Dai-Liy tJ'Gill and Bothered Bill Donohue, pickaxe and shovel iu band, stood waiting in sblverihg suspense the first ghostly sign of midnight. The chilling silence and the sense of larking invisible beings grew heavier. "Don't- you think. Bill," ' Darby advised soft'y, "this'd be a. foine opporchunity for ye to thry that charrum?" The tinker cleared his throat two or three times behind his hand.. ,.. "How does It begin. Darby? Isn't It th ThereumS or Tharaums?" be whispered. r " . The knowledgable man started In dismnyj "Ye don't mane to tell me ye've fergot -the chuae?" he asked. "Oh, I have the fhune all right." Bill answered confidently. "Jfs the wprruds that I'm duberome about. Doryou sing the .worruds. Darby, an I'll sing the chune." ' , ' ' . "Bnd luck to yerfor & fofgetfnl bmadhaun of a tinker." wailed Darby. "Wirra.-wlrra, I've forgot the wormds too." ' ' - - "Well, be the? power o pewther! Everything considhered I -thick Id betther make a run for it." .Bill quailed. "IoU !- There's eometbin' morln over there beyant. in the shadows. It's ayther a loin or a goat. Ye may have my "four thurds. Darby." . . For answer 'Darby caught, his. compsnlons arm with a grip of iron.. As the two stood peering Intently Into the distant corner, suddenly from- he shadows Jut. behind It seemett almost st'tmMr very ears broke a long sibilant whisper i TSh-h-b " For an instant they cluag ,to -each others cowering. Bill was the first to venture a look, and when he, did every hair on his head separated like bristles on. a, brush, for just outside. the circle of holly . leaves stood what seemed to be the bent figure of an old woman. She

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wore a long, brown cloak that might have been a,,, shroud. The hood was drawn so closely around her head that not one glimpse of the face was visible. For a moment she remained aa motionless as one of the slanting tombstones, then slowly raising a stiff, dead band, she beckoned the speechless men toward -her. "Come over !" she hissed. "Come here the both of yes, till I whusper where the crocks o goold are hid." Although Darby's voice came In chpklng gulps, he made bold to answer: "Thank ye kindly, ma'am, we're In no nade of yer adwice, so if ye'U only go back quiet and daclnt to where ye're berried we'll think it greatly lnf atuatln' of ye. An' If ye're not obllgatlu' enough to do that -little fayvor, then be the hokey I'll take one belt at ye wld this shovel whether or no." As Darby said this, an amnting thing happened. In the snap of a finger the old woman changed Into a raging lion before their bewildered eyes; and giving a roar of fury that sent BUI Donohue a foot up Into the air, the great yellow beast went charging around and. around the hallowed circle. "D'ye think I'd betther throw the pick at her?" asked Darby. At those words the lion began backing towards the farthest corner of the cloister. Suddenly she stopped ; and then after drawing herself together, she made a leap at the spot where they cowered. The beast fell with lta two paws almost touehtng the ring of holly. Then It -waa that Darby O'Glll by the dint of his high courage made himself forever after the proud boast of the village of Balltnberg. Swiftly stooping, the brave man np with a big sod of turf and .without so much as a dhlrum or dharum let fly, striking the snarling creature square between the two biasing eyes. A bellow of rage answered the blow. Then, swish! the lion was gone and the brown old woman flashed Into its place. Darby stooped for another sod of turf, but as he did so the frightful old hag with a great swirl of her long brown cloak and a wild, shrieking laugh, vanished Into the air. left in that jug, MMher O'QiUr" "Ba this an that," gwped the knov. .. . ... als man, leaning breathless on his shovel, "who'd have thought that nn-ny ould woman could be as shuple as that on her two legs? Come. Bill.' no w's our chanst. Let's dig for our lives." The tinker took the pickax, the other took the spade, and at it they went with a will. Thud thud, thud! it wasn't long before a great hole gloomed In the soft turf. The treasure hunters burrowed on without speaking, the perspiration poured from their faces, an ache came into the small of their, backs, but no sign of the crocks of gold. "Well, by the red hemp of Dunleary, If here ain't me two ould friends. Darby O'Glll and Bothered Bill Donohoe the tinker. The ton of the avenln' to ye. bhoys. What are ye doin here?" The tone of the voice" was friendly, but when they raised their eyes to see who It was, there in the moonlight stood a terrible figure. , s "Darby." gasped Bill, "don't ye know who It Is? It's Black Mulligan, the gamekeeper, who was hanged for the murdber of poor Fagln the poacher." Black Mulligan stood not ten feet away, his gun at his shoulder, the threatening blue barrel pointed at Darby's head. ' , "Stand aside. Get out of -the way, bhoys, or 111 have to shoot through yex," he commanded. , "Con Fagln the imacher is hidln' there behind yex an if htm I'm afther. Stacd aside of I'll " Dnrby bit his tongue Just In time to check the "God save us" that was on bis lips, and at the same time . he swung Donohue between himself and the point of the leveled gun barrel. As he did that there came a quick flash, an awful shriek, and with It the crashing report of a gun. Our two adventurers dropped to the ground on their facet. Some glint of courage from the

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falry'a charm must have lingered with them stilt, f on after a moment or two of stlfllag alienee Darby had spirit enongh Wt to raise his bead and exclaims "Are ye alive. BUI?" . T - "How could I be alive?" moaned the tinker, Nwt this the second time I'm kilt to-night TT Then up wld ye man. It'll be cockcrow before we know It." They went at the digging again, and Bill had not given Ave good strokes till his pick struck ,r"The crocks o goold!" shouted Darby, aud tha strength returned to their backs, nnd the power to their arms- No two badgere ever flttng dirt with greater speed than did our heroes. Presently the cover Of a great black pot began to show Itself la the bottom of the hole, and then Bill's pick, glancing to one side, was answered by another metallic ring which told where a second crock waa hidden. At th same moment Darby exclaimed : "I think there's wan over here nnd her me feet. Bill, an' the duckens take the bit of me ir it lan t filled to the top. Oh, blur-an-ages, look who's coniln at us now." From the farthest black corner of the cloister walla, tip almost to the edge of the projecting holly wreath, stretched a broad path of shimmering green light. Down this mysterious gleaming road stalked a gigantic man breathing Are as he came. He waa dressed In sinuous black from head to foot, his raven hair atood straight on end. his long face was waxen white and the eves in his head glowed live living coala. On ha came'-to within a hand's breadth of the holly wreath and then he stood with folded arms. All the seething hate and poisoned malice of the world waacrowded Into his look. Darby managed to pull Of bis hat and to make a , scrape of a bow. "The t-t-top of the a-avenln' to yoor honor. Isn't It a-a-flolne night. I. I nlver saw yer lordship lookln ao well. I bear," quavered Darby aa he nervously twisted hit hat. "that your honor ts havln gr-great - times wld the Garmln plllotophera. these days. At laste Father Cassldy was sayln to at chapel only last Sunday." It was an unfortunate remark, for at the mention of Father Cassldy a apatniv of raging agony convulsed the face of Satan. Sparks of Are spurted front the top of hit towering head and hit cheekt glowed red like hot Iron. , - "Why why, dont ye tay aomcthin. BUI." urged. Darby from behind hit hat. "The Juntleman It lookln, at you. I I think it't you he'e afther." 1 I'm cud to tee ye." said tha tinker, hit teeth chattering. "N-n-o I mane, wor ye havln orach rain tblt sayton down In. in " ' ' "Have done!" roared Satan, and the walla of the abbey shook. "Out of tblt place before I wither you up like a blatted tree. What fool's work brought yon here?" ' - , ,- - 1 "I'm sure yer honor don't begrudge us . the few . dlrthy handsful of goold in the crockt below," tald. Dsrt)T "Always the gold," sneered Satan. "What good does It bring you, yott poor insects of tha earth r yott . suallsi you wormtl yon .scurrying goata!" At all tha world knows, from the time a.Tlpperary lad la th hetght of your knee he if a poor hand at taking am insult. So now Darby's temper got tha better of his fears, and he said hotly: - -. "Kape a civil tongue In yer head. Mr. Beteehubv whativer ye do ! I nlver done au-nythlng agin yen of yours, did I? I'll make a child's bargain wld yS D'yo". lave me alone an' 111 Java you atone." " "You rubbish," roared Satan, "you trembling weedtl You little heapa of dust ! You weak-kneed, taort-Urad. - , Insignificant bipeds.' ' Tha last epithet proved too much for the prudenoa of the knowledgable man. "Biped yourself!" b retorted. "Ye long-legged, goat-fatted., chlmhly-pot of p thransgressqr! I dare ya to put yer ugly hoof over : that holly.! But Darby got no further, for at these words Sataa'a, rage became something fearful to behold. He beat nla , breast with his hands, then flung his arms Wide apart. At this last.gesure tha moon winked oat and tha iifshp became black as your hat. A might wind arose any tore through the old abbey. Itsblng the raw tree, to and fro over their heads. The owl darted thla war and that In tha sweeping, gale, hooting In dismal chorus,, and then came the most astonishing tTonder of all. The earth cracked open In one wide circle around tha now thoroughly conquered man. From thla circling crevice an awful sheet of devour! ag. crimson nana shot up into the sky, Satan, terene and triumphaaV framed in the center of the blaxing cstsraft. There It no telling what the end would have been had the tinker kept steadfastly sated the lav portent condition that a person must not nttet aaaclt as one pious word while searching for tha rcjct oC , gold. But tha endurance wat pretty well tfwea out - of Bill by tblt time. He could only, throw t hit hands and exclaim. "God help us I" Those were the fateful words. That prayer set tied ;, the business of the crocks of gold. Immediately a , crash of thunder tpllt the whole world, the sky aautt have fallen tha two men went down Into tha hole -like leaden plummets; the earth heaved and wayed -like a billowy tea and after that there fell a deadly silence. Then, clear through tha distance from Hoall- . gan's farm came the warning sound of a crowing cock. r It wat a moment or two before either of our stlcken adventurers got control of himself. Darby wat -the first to open hit eye. "The raaoeygade It gone! Quick. Bill,' the crocks o goold. Huron, ware not ; bate yet." No wonder Balllnderg is proud of tha Rnt Rill waa ilMid on his feet, gating tt tbt ... tpot where the wide hole btd been; for. lo and heboid. ' not only had the crockt vanished, but the hole Ittalf waa gone; it wat filled to tha top. And thla waa not all: the buttercupt and daisies, without to much broken stem, were nodding and bobbing la the Irtt morning breeze. - - . ' , Half an hour later our two harolc adventorert. loaded to tha chin with bedraggled bundle, bealtatcd anxious-faced on the thretbold of ithe aoill cottaga, Bridget half turned from the breakfast tb wat pr , nrin tu tHMiiT thm with a acornful glare. Then from the doorslll where they ttood tha fJrad , wanderers together poured forth an eloquent aecount of that nirht'a wonderftii adventure From the - ginning to tha end of the dual narrative Bridget never uttered a etngla word, hot ttood motlaolest on tbo hearthstone, her hand on her hips. t When the two abashed treasure hunters bsd fintobaa their story, Bridget never moved a mosol of her fact f but stood with tightly drawn Hps. her eye ttlll fixed on tbem In an unsympathetic stare." At Tast the Pe; and at the sudden question the asked. Darby and Bill took. a' half -atep back from the door: "How much whisk have" yet left ft that Jog. Mlsther O'OHir ' "I I believe it't party near half empty,1 Darby, looking accusingly at JEMW. - "I didn't." blaster ed Bill. "Yer husband fell an unfiled 'tttm in whin be was ronota' frtt Ximputlan. Mittbreat O'Glll ma-am; an' be boatafl tbt)' -lovely eggs. too. ma-am." ? Bridget dlda't aay taach then, tor the was a,wtqrat of few words, but tb managed to tcatr tbaaawwria , with rare judgment through the remaltier oc DUtfm life. . 4 , ' .. . '

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