aken the air for days.
I've a good mind to see you to your boat."

For all that, he looked round uneasily, with the air of a man who
suspected a lurking foe in every rustling leaf.

"Two of you men follow," said he to the sentries at the door. "Keep me
in view. Ah, how fresh the air is after that close room! Yes,
Gallagher, you were speaking of my daughter. Since she left me--keep in
the shade, man, it's safer--this place has been a hell to me. What's
the use of--what's that?" he exclaimed, catching my arm; "it sounded
like a man's breathing. What's the use of keeping it up, I say? I've a
mind to--"

He got no further. We had emerged from the shady walk into the moonlit
path leading down to the pier. The two sentinels were just discernible
ahead, and the footsteps of the two behind followed us close. There was
no other sound in the stillness but his honour's quavering voice, and
nothing stirring but the leaves of the trees and the waves of the lough
as they broke gently on the beach.

Suddenly there rang out from the water's edge the sharp crack of a gun,
followed by a wild howl. Mr Gorman staggered forward a pace and fell
on his face. There was a rapid swish of oars, two hurried shots from
the sentries, and the phantom of a little boat as it darted out across
the moon track and lost itself in the blackness of the shadows.

In a moment I was kneeling beside the body of the poor dying man. The
shot had struck him in the breast, and the life-blood was oozing away
fast. He was conscious as we tried to lift him.

"Let me lie here," said he. "I'm safe here now."

But by this time the soldiers had him in their arms, and were bearing
him gently towards the house.

It was little a doctor could do if we had one, but a soldier was sent to
Fahan to bring one, and to take word of the murder. Meanwhile we laid
him on his bed, and I did what I could to stanch the bleeding and ease
his suffering.

For half-an-hour he lay in a sort of stupor. Then he said,--

"Gallagher, I want to speak--Send the others away--no, keep one for a
witness."

We did as he desired, and waited for what was to come.

Several minutes passed; then he tried to lift his head, and said,--

"It is true that one of you is Terence Gorman's boy, I knew it, but only
Biddy knows which it is. I had no hand in Terence's murder, nor had
Mike Gallagher, though I tried to put it on him. Write that down
quickly, and I'll sign it."

I wrote