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"Well, that same is a comfort," said the wounded traveller. "There is a friendly hut not very distant, where I shall get my arm bandaged. And now, God speed thee! worthy descendent of a lucky Roman. Farewell." And turning his horse, the unfortunate cavalier rode off in an opposite direction to that taken by his opponent.

When my father cleared the defile, he found himself in safety on the coach-road. All danger was over; for the king's troops, no doubt, took care to keep the communication open. The major pricked merrily on, until about a mile from the mountain-pass, a long and narrow bridge, with its high and ill-constructed battlements, crossed a bold river. Built in the ancient style, its centre-arch rose so considerably as to shut from even a mounted traveller a prospect of the extremity. Cæsar rode forward without apprehension, until on topping the crown of the bridge, he found his farther progress barred by a crowd of men, whose various implements of destruction glanced in the moonlight, and told at once that they were of the insurgent party. The soldier reined up, and would have fallen back, but suddenly the other end of the bridge was occupied, and retreat impracticable. There was no time for deliberation; the enemy was before and behind him; the chances of danger pretty equal; and, like a good soldier, he chose that in front. Drawing his second pistol, he advanced steadily within a few paces of those who occupied the pass, when a rough voice in very indifferent English challenged him.

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Who goes there?"

"A friend."

"Whose friend are you?"
"The king's."

"You are a prisoner then," said a person who appeared the leader, dressed in a frieze great coat, and armed with a musket, which he presented at the traveller.

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A prisoner! To whom, pray?" was the firm reply. "Tous Frinch!" replied a second voice in broad Irish. My father laughed heartily at the absurdity of the fellow. "Stand back, fools!" he replied in their native language; "is the moon near the full, pray?"

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Pass on-ballagh, faugh, a ballagh !"* exclaimed a score of voices, as hey opened right and left. Mending his pace, the rider pushed on rapidly, and in an hour the lights in Castlebar appeared flaring in the paler moonshine.

*Anglicè, "Clear the road."

It struck the soldier as a remarkable want of military precaution, that, while it was known that a hostile force was in the neighbourhood, neither picket nor patrol were on the roads that led directly to the garrison. Close to the entrance of the town, for the first time, a yeomanry vidette challenged him; but my father being personally known, prevented the loyalist from offering him any interruption, and unquestioned by any other, the major rode on, and halted at the barrackgate.

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WHA gangs there?" cried a Highlander, advancing his

arms.

"A friend," replied my father, "open the gate; I wish to speak with the general."

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Guard, turn out!" exclaimed the sentinel. "Guard turn out!" responded a second voice within. An immediate shuffling of feet and rattling of muskets succeeded, and apprised the late traveller that considerable ceremony would attend his untimely visit to the commander of the garrison. Presently an officer appeared at the wicket, and demanded his name and business. My father answered that he was a loyalist, and his business was private and momentous. I suspect, notwithstanding," replied the Scotchman, "that ye stand a poor chance of seeing the generals to-night; they dinna much like to talk with strangers over their wine: but I'll go see."

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After an absence of some minutes, "the Highland ancient" re-appeared with a peremptory refusal. "The generals," he said, would na be disturbed; it was na time, they said, to fash them wi' business-it would be time enough to-morrow." But the traveller was not to be repulsed by one refusal.

"The morning will be too late," he said; "give that card to

General H, and tell him I bear important intelligence which may require the promptest consideration."

A still longer time elapsed than when on his first embassy, before the commander of the guard returned.

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All's right," he said to the sentry;

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Duncan, open the wee gate: lead in your horse, friend-and I'll conduct ye to the generals."

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The generals!-What, are any here besides general H?"

"Aye, troth, are there: gin they be gude as plenty, we will be guy an weel commanded; and if they strike but half as hard as they drink, the de'il himsel' will na match them for a minute."

As he spoke, the major and his conductor reached the building where the commanders were assembled. Loud and tipsy merriment was heard within; and if Cæsar Blake expected to find the gallant leaders of the king's troops concerting military movements over the midnight lamp, he must have been marvellously disappointed. Passing a sentry at the door, and half a dozen orderlies loitering about the corridor, the ex-major was directed to the end of the hall; a mess-waiter in attendance opened a door, announced his name, and ushered him into the presence.

Albeit, though Cæsar himself had not been indoctrinated in military tactics at the feet of the most rigid disciplinarian, yet he was shocked and disgusted to witness a very unexpected scene. Though the country was in a state of insurrection, and an invading army within a few hours' march, he found the royalist commanders revelling at the mess-table, surrounded by their aids-de-camp and field-officers. There was scarcely an individual at the board who did not betray unequivocal symptoms of inebriety. Two personages were already hors de combat beneath the table-and others so far advanced toward that comfortable condition, as to warrant a safe conclusion that a similar fate awaited them. On glancing round the room, my father remarked two or three country gentlemen who commanded yeomanry corps intermingled with the regular bacchanalians, and caught the cadaverous scowl of Captain Donavan furtively directed at himself. Conolly's intelligence crossed his memory, and he darted a withering look at the husband of the inconstant Harriette; but the voice of General H recalled his attention from his quondam acquaintance.

"Cæsar, noblest of Romans !"-(hiccup)-"take a chair,

fill a bumper, and then tell us what the devil drives you here?" was the singular address.

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'Hearing," replied the major, "of the landing at Killala I deemed it my duty to join his majesty's troops as a volunteer, and on my way to head-quarters, accidentally learned some news that appeared sufficiently important to warrant this late and unceremonious intrusion."

"What may the news be?" inquired one of the general officers, with a carelessness that half implied derision.

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Am I to communicate my intelligence here? Possibly it might suit a smaller audience," replied Cæsar Blake. All here, sir," returned the commander haughtily, the king's officers, or their faithful allies and fellow-soldiers; we have no secrets from either."

are

"Enough, sir," said the traveller;" "my intelligence simply is, that the French are on their march, and Humbert moving rapidly on the town with all his disposable force." "Ha-ha-ha!" roared the generals. "Ha-ha-ha!" repeated the aids-de-camp. Ha-ha-ha!" re-echoed the captains

of the yeomanry.

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My father's cheek reddened. In a voice where suppressed rage was scarcely concealed, he replied

"Were my information valueless, methinks at least it might have been received with that civility which the communications of one gentleman to another require and obtain. Pray, general, should this intelligence prove correct, would a French movement on the town be an event worth military consideration ?"

"Undoubtedly, most gallant Roman, it would surprise us all. But sit down and wash the cobwebs from thy throat"(for my father still continued standing;) "we may probably go to look for Humbert, but, believe me, Humbert will not come to look for us. Why, man, our advanced guard would be sufficient to cut him to pieces. Where, my friend, did you learn this idle story ?"

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General H-," said my father, with seriousness, "you admit it to be of momentous consequence if true: now, from a source which I shall not disclose, but which I pledge a soldier's honour is worthy to be implicitly relied upon, I learned it; and you are now apprized of what I believe to be a fact, and it is for you and these gentlemen to act as you please."

The decisive tone of the ex-major appeared to create a sensation.

VOL. I.-7.

"And you consider your intelligence authentic!" inquired General H

"Can you doubt it?" observed General T-, with a sneer. "If report speaks true, none should be better informed of insurrectionary movements than the worthy major."

My father made two strides from the place where he had been standing, and confronted the last speaker.

:

"You will please to recollect, sir, that I am no longer subordinate to any, and that I acknowledge no superior in this room. I feel your taunt, and am no stranger to the rancorous source from which it emanated. Now, general, I shall briefly tell you what I am-a gentleman of as stainless honour and ancient blood as any that bears the King's commission and furthermore, as true and devoted a subject. Does any, here question my loyalty? 'Tis well-I should have told him to his teeth he lied. I know that at this table sits one villain; let him follow me outside the gate, and he shall there know how far my hand can defend my honour. You have now my tidings, gentlemen, such as they be, and tomorrow will tell whether they are false or true. Good night."

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Stop, stay, my dear fellow !" cried General H

"d—n

it, man, no offence was offered. I like your spirit—(hiccup.) You have been misinformed. But fill a glass-devilish sound claret-(hiccup). Depend upon it that all's right, and in a day or two you shall have a sight of the blue-coats, unless they have re-embarked already. Come, sit down.'

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"Excuse me, General. Farewell, sir," he continued, addressing the commanding officer who had so broadly insinuated his disloyalty. "A word at parting: when the scoundrel who traduced me next tells you that I am disaffected, whisper in his ear, that Cæsar Blake holds him to be a coldblooded, gambling, murderous coward; and tell him, I would part with this right hand to free the world from such a miscreant as I believe him to be! Adieu, gentlemen: before tomorrow's noon you will decide whether my intelligence was fabrication, and whether you should have noticed the warning you have received."

So saying, he flung himself from the mess-room, leaving the bacchanalian group in great confusion and uncertainty. But this indecision lasted but for a moment, and the ex-major's alarm vanished with the next cooper. Daylight broke upon them ere they separated, as, with few exceptions, they were

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