Scathlan 2

that night. I instantly recognised in Susan Gallagher a type of Donegal girl I was familiar with in the seaboard districts of the wild western shore. She had very dark hair and eyes: there was a timid, almost frightened ex– pression on her countenance which otherwise was prepossessing, Unlike girls of her age, whom I had met in Gweedore, she had never been to school, and, except in the rudiments of her religion had never been instructed in anything. She expressed herself fairly well in English, but Irish was the tongue in which alone she could speak with con– fidence. I learned that the Catholic clergyman in Port Elizabeth had mentioned my name to her as one whom she could confide in and who would not press her to do or say what was wrong. In reply to my qu– estions she told me as she told General Pryor. I could see though that she could, at any minute, have gone off in a hysterical fit of crying. She trembled like an aspen-leaf and shed tears silently throughout. I trembled myself as I approached the important question - Carey's pistol. She realised fully its tremendous importance, and evidently she was suffering intense mental struggle and anguish as she sobbed out her answer on the subject. The priest at Port Elizabeth had evidently feared that between her own passionate desire to save O'Donnell and the pressure of O'Donnell's friends she would be led to swear the few words that would probably set him free. She had been solemnly warned to tell the truth, and on no earthly consideration should she kiss the Gospel with a falsehood on her lips. I doubt if she needed any warning - she was resolute in her own uprightness and honesty. "Now, Susan, you heard some angry words between O'Donnell and Carey. Can you recollect at all what it was?", I asked her. "I wasn't much minding them at all, sir; my head was aching from sea sickness and I was half drowsy". "Did you hear no words that you remember?" "I only remember the beginning. When Carey came back the secc:md time he bullied O'Donnell like, asking what part of Ireland he came from, as if doubting what he had told him before". "What did O'Donnell say to that?" 11 He said, 'I'm not a man that ever denied my name or country', and he said he came from Derrybeg in County Donegal". "What next?" "I didn't mind then a bit more till I heard them talk quick and angry all in a minute, and before I knew anything a shot went off near me and I jumped for my life and ran". "Now, Susan, tell me nothing but the solemn truth, but do think well-did you see anything in Carey's hand?'' She had been nervously twisting the fingers of each hand into those of the other and squeezing them into a sort of knot that seemed to become tighter and tighter as her mental agony increased. She knew that a few false words would save O'Donnell. "My back was towards them, sir; oh, sir, if I had only turned around! But, oh sir, sure I wasn't looking the right way". 11 Did you hear anything fall on the floor?" "I don't know at all, sir. Just before the shot I heard stamps like on the floor-some noise on the floor: it might be feet". "Did you see a pistol either in Carey's hand or on the floor?" "I didn't see no pistol, sir". "Oh God! why didn't I look". 55