Kilgorman: A Story of Ireland in 1798

  CHAPTER NINE.

  BEHIND THE INN DOOR AT RATHMULLAN.

  I know not what account of our adventure was given by my little mistressto her parents, but certain it was I found myself risen in the goodgraces of the mother, if not in those of his honour. As to the latter,his graces, good or bad, were hard to calculate. Perhaps he disliked meless than before, rather than liked me better. He said nothing, exceptto reprimand me for assaulting Martin. But I suspected it was nospecial love for Martin which called forth the rebuke.

  And now, for a time, things went uneasily at Knockowen. For a sour man,his honour kept a good deal of company; and I, who waited upon them,with eyes and ears open, could see that my master was playing adifficult and dangerous game.

  One week certain mysterious persons would drop in, and sit in longconfabulation. Another week some fellow-justice of his honour's wouldclaim his hospitality and advice on matters of deep importance.Sometimes a noisy braggart from the country side would demand anaudience; and sometimes an officer in his Majesty's uniform would arriveas an honoured guest.

  On all such occasions the tenor of the talk was the growing unrest ofthe country, and the gathering of that great storm which was soon toturn the whole country into a slaughter-house.

  But the difficult task which Mr Gorman set before himself was to agreewith everybody.

  That he was deep in league with the smugglers on the coast I myselfknew. But to hear him talk to the revenue officers who visited him, onemight think that he spent his days and nights in seeking to put downthis detestable trade. That he had a hand in the landing of foreignarms the reader knows as well as I. But when his brother magistratescame to lay their heads with his, none was more urgent than he to rundown the miscreants. Indeed, he went to more than empty words; foronce, when a rumour spread that a cargo of powder and shot was expectedoff Malin, he himself led the party which for three days lay in wait tointercept it. And no one knew except himself and me that during thosevery three days, while he kicked his loyal heels on Malin Head, the_Cigale_ ran quietly into Lough Swilly, and after resting a few hours,ran as quietly out, with a good deal less ballast in her than she camewith.

  I remember that well, for it was a day when I was secretly plotting totake advantage of my master's absence to steal up to Kilgorman. I hadindeed got not far from the place when, to my disgust, Martin andanother man overtook me on horseback, and ordered me to return at onceto Knockowen at my mistress's bidding.

  I durst not disobey, or betray my purpose, so turned back sulkily,leaving them to canter on; and, to add to my chagrin, as I looked roundpresently from the hill-top, I recognised the flaunting sails of the_Cigale_ standing in for the shore. This sight filled me with a newlonging to see Tim, on whom for two years now I had only once, for anhour, set eyes. Come what would, I must steal away and hail him as soonas ever I could escape for an hour or so. Alas! it was easy to promise.

  The reason of my mistress's summons was for me to take an officer, whohad just ridden over in hot haste from Carndonagh, by boat toRathmullan. He was to rejoin his regiment that night, and being adistant kinsman of my lady had presumed on his relationship to beg apassage across the lough by the shortest way.

  You may guess if I cast loose the boat with a merry heart, and badefarewell to my chance of seeing Tim, let alone of obeying my mother'scall to Kilgorman.

  More than that, this voyage to Rathmullan reminded me of another timewhen my crew was more to my taste than this lumbering trooper; and, asif to complete my trouble, Miss Kit came down gaily to the jetty tospeed the parting guest.

  "It's a pity we could not keep you, Captain Lestrange, till my fatherreturned. You must come again when times are quieter."

  "That'll not be this year or next," said the young officer; "butwhenever it is, I could hardly find you looking prettier than you arenow, Miss Gorman."

  "Wait till you see," said she, with a saucy laugh, waving her hand as wepushed off.

  I had it in my heart to upset the boat as the fellow stood and kissedhis hand.

  "Sit down, sir, if you please, and trim the boat," I said. "By yourleave, sir, till I haul the sail."

  And before he was aware of it I hauled away, and left him kissing hishand to a sheet of white canvas that interposed between him and mylittle mistress.

  That solaced me vastly.

  Once out on the lough I found my passenger, who was little more than alad of twenty, friendly enough, and inclined to while away the voyagewith chat.

  "So the master's at Malin, after the smugglers?" said he.

  "Troth, yes," said I; "but they're hard boys to catch."

  "I wouldn't thank you for fools that ran into your arms," said he.

  "'Deed you won't find many such in these parts."

  "What's that building on the far point there?" he asked presently,pointing to Kilgorman.

  "That's Kilgorman House, colonel."

  "Oh! There's some story about that house surely. Somebody was murderedor robbed--what was it?"

  "His honour's brother, Terence Gorman, owned it. And he was shot on thehill fifteen years ago; and nobody will go near the place since."

  "Oh, I remember now," said he. "And there was something about a ladyand child that died too. I heard about it from a cracked body that wasservant to my sister-in-law in Paris."

  "Biddy McQuilkin," said I. "Sure she's in France still!"

  "What, do you know her?"

  "She's from these parts, colonel."

  "Well, she may be there still, unless they're all dead. Paris is a hotplace for any one just now. When they kill kings, and cut off headslike turnip-tops, it's no place for strangers."

  "They do say the French will be this length before long," said I,recalling some of the talk I had heard at his honour's table.

  He eyed me sharply.

  "They do, do they? And how come you to know it?"

  "Sure, it's common talk," said I; "and more by tokens, they've senttheir guns before them."

  "The less you talk about what you don't understand the better," said theofficer, looking glum; "but I'd give any one a hundred pounds to tell mewhere they put the arms when they land them."

  Here I thought it wise to be silent. I could have earned a hundredpounds easily that afternoon.

  When we reached Rathmullan, a sergeant was down on the pier awaitingCaptain Lestrange.

  "There's wild work going, captain," I heard him say; "the boys aregetting to a head, and every mother's son of them with a gun in hishand. The troop's been ordered over to Letterkenny, and they're awayalready to watch the fun. Begging your pardon, captain, you must takeyour dinner in the saddle this day."

  The captain took this news, especially the end of it, bravely, andtossed me down a shilling.

  "Good-bye, my lad; and carry my respects to your young mistress."

  And he strode away to the inn where the horses waited, and in a fewminutes was clattering at full speed down the road that leads toLetterkenny.

  Now, thought I, was my chance, with a favouring breeze, to slip down thelough and carry out my purpose of speaking the _Cigale_.

  I would spend my shilling, or part of it, in drinking his Majesty'shealth, by which time it would be dusk enough to enable me to passKnockowen unobserved.

  In the inn, however, I found a great disturbance going on; so much sothat I was crowded behind the door, and forced to stay there, firstbecause I must, and presently because I would. What the trouble was Icould not at first ascertain; but it soon came out that at Sheep Haven agang of smugglers had been trapped, and their skipper swung at his ownyard-arm. That was bad enough; but what was worse, he was a Rathmullanman, and the warrant for his capture had been given a week ago by amagistrate across the lough.

  "I'll warrant you that was Maurice Gorman did it," said some one.

  At the name I crept further back behind the door, and stood like amouse.

  "The very man," said another. "He's a dirty thraitor. He can let theboys well enough alo
ne when he loikes."

  "Whisht!" said another; "he's away at Malin this very week after more,and his men with him. I tell you what I'm thinking, Larry," continuedthe speaker, who had drunk somewhat, "this--"

  "Howld yer tongue," said the first speaker in a whisper. "Do you knowno better than blather at the top of your voice like that?"

  "I'm thinking," continued the other, retreating towards the door, andbeckoning the others around him, "that it'd do Maurice a world of goodto have his winders broken."

  "Ay, and not by pebbles. There's lead enough to spare in the country,praise God."

  "And fire enough to warm his bones if he should be feeling cold," saidanother.

  "He's to be back to-morrow. I heard that from Martin, who's been leftto take care of the place."

  "Sure, Martin's a right boy for us. He'd never spoil sport for thelikes of Gorman."

  "Not he. I warrant you Martin will be waiting on us, for I'll stepacross and tell him myself. There's no one else to mind but the womenand a fool of a boy."

  "Begorrah, thin, we'll stand by you, Larry. If Pat Corkill swings toplaze Maurice Gorman, Maurice shall roast to plaze us. But whisht!I'll have a boat for the eight of yez at this time to-morrow."

  Then, one by one, they slunk off out of the dark shanty, leaving mebehind the door in a fever of excitement and impatience.

  I durst not go all at once, or be seen in the place; so I waited on tillthe road was clear and the host was away putting up his shutters.

  Then I slipped out, and slouched quietly down to the pier. By good luckI had moored my boat under the side of an old hull that lay there, whereshe could hardly be noticed by any who did not look for her. I wasthankful, aided by the friendly night, to reach it safely, and was soonspeeding up the lough as fast as my sail would carry me, with my bigbudget of news for Knockowen.