The Argosy — page 244: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Faithful unto Death. 227 the village and close up to the barracks. This track crossed the river by what was usually a very shallow ford, but now, in the swollen state of the stream, was hardly a ford at all. The regular road led by a circuit of about a quarter of a mile to an old stone bridge, and so into the village. Nelly looking into my face saw that I had been crying, and tried to comfort me by saying : “Don’t be onaisy, ma’am ! sure the last words the masther said to me just now was, ‘ Take care of your mistress, Nelly,’ and it’s myself that will do that same to the last drop of my blood. ’TIwill be no time at all, ma’am, till he is back again. J’ll make you a good cup of tay, and if ye’ll go to bed airly, ma’am, ye’ll sleep as sound asa child.” Getting some little comfort from the bright, cheerful look of her sweet face, I turned into the house again, determined to make myself as busy as possible to pass away the time rapidly, till I could reason- ably hope to get to sleep. Before it became quite dark I looked carefully to all the locks and fastenings of the doors and windows, and ascertained that the soldier servant was in his room. I went to bed early, recommended the servants to retire also, and was soon, notwithstanding a nervous feeling, fast asleep. I was awakened—it seemed to me almost immediately, though I afterwards ascertained that it was at one o’clock—by a confused murmur of voices outside the house and the trampling of many feet. J arose in terror, and just then Nelly rushed into my room, her face as white as a sheet. ‘© Oh, mistress, what will we do! what will we do! The Laguers are upon us,” she exclaimed. I hardly understood her at first, but soon made out that a crowd of land leaguers had surrounded the house and were prepared to attack it. Why, I could not imagine, but was soon to learn. I put on some clothes as quickly as possible, and tried to decide what I ought to do. My only hope lay in the soldier servant. I took Nelly with me and crept to a window at the back of the house which looked on the outhouses, from which I hoped to see into the man’s room, and perhaps communicate with him. To my horror I saw that he on whom we depended for protection was lying bound hand and foot in the back-yard, and two villainous- looking men, with blackened faces and torches in their hands, were standing over him. All hope of any succour from him was out of the question. The only thing to be done now was to brace up our courage, speak to the men, try to find out what they wanted, and how best I could conciliate them. I went back to my bedroom window, threw up the sash, and, leaning out a little, gazed on the strange scene before me. There were perhaps a hundred men assembled in the little garden. COnnicboooks mn