sir," was the quick reply. "That's ould Delany of Shanestown, and
a greater devil there isn't from this to his own place. Blood and ages,"
cried he, addressing me, "won't you give yourself a chance? do you want
them to tear you to pieces where you stand?"

The man's looks impressed me still more than his words; and though I
scarcely believed it possible that my peril could be such as he spoke
of, the terrified faces about me struck fear into my heart.

"Would men stand by," cried I, "and see such an infamous cruelty?"

"Arrah! how could we help it?" said one, stopping me; "and if you won't
do anything for yourself, what use can we be?"

"There, be off, you, in the name of Heaven," said another, pushing me
through a small door that opened into a shrubbery; "down that lane as
fast as you can, and keep to the right after you pass the fish-pond."

"It wouldn't be bad to swim to one of the islands!" muttered another;
but the counsel was overruled by the rest.

By this time, the contagion of terror had so completely seized upon
me that I yielded myself to the impulse of the moment, and, taking the
direction they pointed out, I fled along the path beneath the garden
wall at full speed.

In the unbroken stillness I could hear nothing but the tramp of my own
feet, or the rustling of the branches as I tore through them. I gained
at last the open fields, and with one hurried glance behind to see that
I was not pursued, still dashed onwards. The young cattle started off at
full speed as they saw me, and the snorting horses galloped wildly here
and there as I went.

Again, beneath the shade of a wood I would have halted to repose myself,
but suddenly a sound came floating along the air, which swelled louder
and louder, till I could recognize in it the deep, hoarse bay of dogs,
as in wild chorus they yelped together; and high above all could
be heard the more savage notes of men's voices cheering them on and
encouraging them. With the mad speed of terror, I now fled onward; the
very air around me seeming to resound with the dreadful cries of my
pursuers. Now tumbling headlong over the tangled roots, now dashing
recklessly forward through stony watercourses or fissured crevices of
ground, I ran with mad impulse, heedless of all peril but one. At some
moments the deafening sounds of the wild pack seemed close about me; at
others, all was still as the grave around.

[Illustration: 564]

I had forgotten every direction the men