d died down. It was too late for the prisoners to take any
active part in it. They began to consider the future. They made up their
minds to take the advice given them and stay quiet.

Mrs. O'Halloran went to the head of the kitchen stairs. The four maids
were huddled together. Mrs. O'Halloran descended on them. She took
Molly, who was nearest to her, by the shoulders and shook her violently.
The housemaid and Lady Devereux' maid fled at once to the coal cellar.
The kitchenmaid sat down and sobbed.

"If there's another sound out of any of yous," said Mrs. O'Halloran,
"it'll be the worse for you after. Isn't it enough for one day to
have three young fellows in the house trying to get shot, and soldiers
outside trying to shoot them, and every sort of divilment in the way of
a row going on, without having a pack of girls bellowing and bawling
on the kitchen stairs? It's mighty fond you are, the whole of you,
of dressing yourselves up, in pink blouses and the like" (she looked
angrily at the kitchenmaid) "and running round the streets to see if
you can find a man to take up with you. And now when there's men enough
outside and in, nothing will do but to be screeching. But sure girls is
like that, and where's the use of talking?"

Mrs. O'Halloran might have said more. She felt inclined to say a good
deal more but she was interrupted by a loud knocking at the hall door.

"I dursent go to it." said Molly. "I dursent You wouldn't know who might
be there nor what they might do to you."

"Nobody's asking you to go," said Mrs. O'Halloran.

She went to the door herself and opened it. A sergeant and eight men
were on the steps.

"And what may you be wanting?" said Mrs. O'Halloran. "What right have
you to come battering and banging at the door of her ladyship's house
the same as if it was a public-house and you trying to get in after
closing time? Be off out of this, now, the whole of you. I never seen
such foolishness."

"My orders are to search the house," said the sergeant; "rebels have
been firing on us from the roof."

"There's no rebels been firing out of this house," said Mrs. O'Halloran,
"and what's more----"

"My orders," said the sergeant.

"There's no orders given in this house," said Mrs. O'Halloran, "only
mine and maybe her ladyship's at odd times."

She need scarcely have mentioned Lady Devereux. An order from her was a
very exceptional thing.

"Our officer----" said the sergeant "Private Beggs, go and r