Show 1 4 How Denis O'Halloran S Transgressed His Code CodeL I II L BY B. B FLETCHER ROBINSON I II a- a I Copyright Dir ur r Denis O'Halloran clasped his ong nag horseman's cloak about him He was as a man below the middle height end and na of ot a spare and active figure Isis Ills expression was resolute and his bis eyes of ot a a merry audacity He rode swiftly through the village street treet easing his mount as he met the shoulder of ot the hill It was an age when the wayfarer had still to rely upon his own weapon for safety and he knew that hat after atter nightfall such waste places must have their perils Is He reached the crown of the hill hili and pushed forward at a livelier gait For man Denis O'Halloran had little fear tear He lie had already acquired some reputation in campaigns under an alien flag But It t was a superstitious age and he came of ot a superstitious people Therefore when pushing warily forward he rounded the spur of ot the hill hili Into the full light of ot the moon the spectacle which met his gaze shook his heart into his mouth and his hand to the pistol in his holster On n a little plateau some 60 paces from the road and circled by A rising slope stood a gallows whereon hung the body of a man The sight was familiar by such means were the highways rightfully protected But the corpse did not swing unattended A few paces from the foot of the gibbet gib gib- bet were two figures the one erect wrapped In a trailing cloak the other crouching to some labor The crouching figure moved the light gleamed on a II pick as it rose and the clicking sound came came again to his ears It was digging a grave pain pain- full and slowly Presently It stopped dropping the tool and as It did so the theother theother other struck it so that It raised a aloud aloud aloud loud wall wail of pain A womans woman's voice thought the traveler and his blood stirred within him With an oath he set spurs to his horse and galloped headlong toward them The man never moved from where he stood but the woman ran toward him crying with outstretched arms The traveler was out of the saddle In Ina Ina ina a flash and slipped sUpped an arm about her for tor she seemed near to falling faIlIng Save me she said for the love of ot heaven Faith madam an I will be blithe to do do so said Mr O'Halloran He looked down at her with satisfaction She was indeed a fine woman though not in her first youth The man advanced from beneath he shadow of the corpse dropping lis us cloak as he did so The moon showed him tall and lean with a long face Cace and a stern and melancholy ex- ex He carried himself with an andr dr stir of dignity Plainly he was of ot gene gentle gentle gen gen- tle tie breeding It would be well sir if you do not Interfere In that which nowise concerns concerns con con- cerns you he said sternly By Dy the blessed saints but did ye ever hear the like cried Mr OHal loran I perceive you ar are an Irishman sneered the tall manAn man An I perceive that ye ye arre an impertinent impertinent im im- im pertinent scoundrel returned Mr O'Halloran I do not desire to brawl with you my good fellow Let it suffice you that I have ha an explanation for tor what I Iam Iam Iam am am about An explanation have y ye cried Mr O'Halloran In vast Indignation Then let me tell ye that amongst Irish gentlemen the striking iv Iv Iva a lady admits no explanation Sor SOl ye lack gentility If It I had the time I would tache ye manners with a cane What are you said the tall man Jacobite fugitive cutthroat or an Irish on a journey Pray give me so much of ot your confidence I 1 hold a captains captain's commission replied replied re reo re- re plied Mr O'Halloran with becoming dignity though In what ar ar it Is not precisely fr tr me to mention Does that content ye I am at your service said theother the tho other play May l In heaven aid you murmured the the lady Mr O'Halloran slipped oft off his cloak i drew his sword and stepped forward with a learn lean activity The Tho tall man was no match for O'Halloran and arid before long longa a prick Inthe in inthe inthe the shoulder made his sword with an oat Again again 1 screamed creamed the tho- tho woman Mr O'Halloran paid her he her heno herno no atten nhen attention tion but stepped b back k lowering his ills point oJ x Madam Madam 1 said he be I have havo found this gentleman a II very bravo brave a and d' d ill ill- gant To be bo with ye yo would I know moro morn iv this business Then I will wUl bid you Qu night good night sir she said coldly I can can find my way to the coach I must ask ye re with due d submission submission sion slon to remain where yo nr re nr-re re re replied replied re- re e. e plied Mr At least until such stich time as I havo have inquired d further Iv this gentleman The tall man was was seated on the ground nursing his arm his b back Ck propped against the gallows He lie regarded regarded re rev th them m curiously My Iy name Is Yorke he said Col Cot Francis Yorke Yorks You may have heard it It was t tolerably familiar lIar utter after Fontenoy laughed the tho Irishman An old man with grown sons about him married again allain said the tho colonel Heavens sir does not tho the devils devil's opportunity opportunity opportunity op op- op- op lie in n old mens men's follies He He bI had met the lady at a rout at York He lie knew naught of her but that she was bold In spirit and pleasing to the eye His elder son a soldier serving abroad saw neither the wooing nor northe northe northe the wedding the younger did that which he could check his fathers father's dotIng doting dot dot- Ing desires She met the lad and defeated defeated defeated de de- de- de him at every turn of the game She laughed away his evidence of her past as as malicious So he perforce r must watch this jade come flaunting into his home knowing full well with what hatred she regarded him and what little hope of ot joy in life lite under his fathers father's roof root remained to him Ye speak bitterly sir said Mr Is It a merry tale Come hear It out Within a year of the marriage over the border came the Highland cattle lifters utters with that Papist adventurer adventurer Charles Stuart What Stuart What Do I touch your politics Forget It sir or I shall never have done The lad was of an age for romance His fathers fathers father's fathers father's fa fa- fa ther's wife had raffish friends who made a pothouse boast of It to drink to their king over the water Together Together Together To To- gether they beguiled him until In the tho end he rode away to join join but but I must be careful careful to to join the most vaIl valiant ant army of ot the only true and puissant monarch of these islands then about to retreat from Derby a pretty plot worthy of the sex to which I observe observe ob oh serve sir you are a devoted cham cham- pion plan The old man was a whig who hated the Pretender as he would the devil To him comes his good wife with loud lamentations The prodigal son had ridden away to join the Invaders invaders In In- a Jacobite declared She hinted hinted hinted hint hint- ed at fines and sequestrations Whereat Where Whereat Where at the father swore that his son should never darken his doors again and this may I say of him that the sterner the vow the more closely he ever held to it He had been a strong man In his day both of mind and body I will not tire you sir with needless needless need need- less particulars The lad was In hid hid- 1 ii I a I t tV tt Ill t V I ti I Have Found This Gentleman a Brave and Fighter Ing lag for six months starving for a i year He crept back to his home was turned from the door and in his desperation desperation des des- he stopped a coach here upon the moors Information against him was already out through whose agency you may best guess He was apprehended and hanged In chains near the scene of ot his offense ortense as a warning to malefactors Ye should have told me tv this before be fore fore before before we fell to disputing said You understand then For answer the Irishman whipped out his sword and saluted the corpse where it t clanked and swung He dl died d for his king he said though I had rath rather r it had been at Culloden God save the king You do us honor sir said the colonel In my brothers brother's name I thank you The lady ros rose from where she sat throwing back her hei cloak with an angry gesture Do you believe this man she sha shei shee i e f. f led Faith madam but I do said Mr This woman beater sh She scored scored a hit He hung undecided ed with a toe scratching the turf Permit me to finish my tale sir said the colonel I learned that my good stepmother was journeying home this evening Wherefore I took the occasion to Invite her to my brothers brothers brothers brother's broth ers er's funeral I could not leave him here poor lad As she had hung my brother It seemed but in due course that she should help me to dig his grave Finding her opposed to the suggestion I used tho the argument most likely to appeal to her Our work was well well nigh nigh ended when you rou ap ap- Upon its termination it was my Intention to escort her to her coach You hear this villain cried the lady He lie forced nit mt to co dig to dig till my hands were blistered It would be bo a better grave were It a II few tew inches deeper said the tho colonel and the soil Is s light Mr Denis O'Halloran thrust out his chest fingered his sword hilt and scowled at the gallows the moon and the tho moors D By the honor of me mo house sor-r sor he said but I think that your stepmother step step- mother will do db well if if It she takes to the spa spadA again r |