106 A Sportsman at Large 



moaned around the ancient homestead, Dicky Garnett and I 

 were sitting over the fire smoking our final pipe before turning 

 in. I had been regaling my young friend (destined hereafter 

 to become my subaltern in the Duke of Camb's Hussars) 

 with bloodcurdling tales of Fenian atrocities. The others had, 

 professedly, retired to their respective couches, pleading " dead 

 tiredness," following on a strenuous day on the hills, after 

 grouse. Dicky's back was toward the casement, on which the 

 rain beat persistently. 



Now let him continue the story. 



" I happened to look up at Cockie (that's me I should 

 say ' I '), and never have I seen such a look of fixed horror as 

 his homely features displayed. He was looking beyond me 

 at the window, with it's weeping rain tears. I glanced round 

 quickly. My heart leaped, and then seemed to stop altogether ; 

 for there, gazing in on us, was a masked face ! I felt frozen 

 to my chair ; but the next moment, there was a thundering 

 at the door. Cockie sprang up. At first I thought he was 

 ' doing a guy ' and leaving me to my fate ; but he had gone 

 to fetch his revolver. 



" The door burst open and three men, muffled in long 

 jarvey coats, with typical Hibernian corbeens, and all closely 

 masked, rushed in. 



" ' Hands up, yez divils,' shouted our host, levelling his 

 weapon. The raiders obeyed with alacrity ; but the window 

 had been noiselessly opened and a portly figure garbed and 

 masked like the other intruders, made a spring at Cockie 

 from behind to pinion him. Ere this movement on the 

 part of the outflanking criminal could be effectively carried 

 out, Cockie's revolver spoke. One of the miscreants in front 

 gave a loud scream, leaped into the air, and falling forward 

 on his face lay still ! The others bolted, with Cockie at 

 their heels. As he ran he shouted to me to fetch my gun 

 and follow, but I felt paralysed. However, I managed to 

 find the weapon, snatched up a couple of cartridges which 

 lay on the table handy and legged it along. I came up with 

 my host near the water ; we were both out of breath. 



" ' It's no good Dicky/ he gasped. ' They've offed it and 



