130 THE COLONEL'S STORY. 



quartered in Cork. Soon after I joined, I happened to be 

 field-officer of the day on which a notorious criminal was 

 doomed to suffer. The regiment had given a guard, and 

 curiosity induced me to attend the execution. 



" I entered the press-room. In a few minutes the malefactor 

 appeared in white grave-clothes, attended by two priests. It was 

 * mine ancient enemy/ Bulger ! Suddenly the sheriff was 

 called out, and after a short absence returned, accompanied by 

 a plain, vigorous country gentleman, enveloped in a huge 

 driving- coat, and apparently like one who had travelled a 

 considerable distance. 



" I looked at the criminal ; he was the ruin of a powerful 

 man, and the worst- visaged scoundrel imaginable. He was 

 perfectly unmoved, and preserved a callous sort of hardiesse \ 

 and as the priests hurried over their Latin prayers, made a 

 careless response whenever they directed him. The door 

 leading to the drop was open, and the felon looked out upon 

 the crowd most earnestly. ' He is not there,' he murmured : 

 'he caused my apprehension, but he will not see me die-,' and 

 added, with a grim smile, * Morden, you neither kept your 

 word, nor proved your prophecy f The muffled stranger stood 

 suddenly forward : ' / am here, Bulger ! I paid for your appre- 

 hension, and have come some hundred miles to witness your 

 execution /' 



" ' Morden/ said the dying felon, solemnly, ' if a ghost can 

 come back again, I'll visit you /' 



" The person addressed smilded coldly : ' I found you unable 

 to execute your threats while living; and, believe me, I 

 apprehend nothing from you when dead/ 



"The clock struck the sheriff gave the signal Bulger 

 advanced to the scaffold the drop fell, and in two minutes he 

 was a corpse/' 



