elated the various steps he had taken, and how, eventually,
they had come upon running water and followed it down to a road.

"Well, I really think you have done remarkably well, youngster. I
shouldn't be surprised if we have some more tramps before us, for I
had a letter this morning from the colonel saying that the fellow
known as the red Captain, a notorious scoundrel who has been with his
gang committing all sorts of atrocities in Galway, has made the place
too hot for him at last, and is reported to have made his way down to
the south coast, somewhere in this direction; and we are ordered to
keep a sharp lookout for him. He is an unmitigated ruffian, and a
desperate one. He has shot several constables who have tried to
capture him, and as he has three or four men with him nearly as bad as
himself I expect we shall have some trouble with him. There has been a
reward of a hundred pounds for his capture for a long time, but so far
without success. One man, whom he suspected rightly or wrongly of
intending to betray him, he killed by fastening the door of his
cottage and then setting the thatch alight; and the man, his wife, and
four children were burned to death."

That evening, just as dinner was over, the sergeant came in and said
that a woman wished to speak to the captain.

"What does she want, sergeant?"

"She won't say what she wants, sir; only that she wishes to speak to
you privately."

"Show her in then, sergeant."

The sergeant brought in the woman and then retired. As soon as the
door closed behind him the woman threw back the shawl which had
hitherto almost covered her face. She was about twenty-five years old,
and strikingly pretty.

"What can I do for you?" Captain O'Connor asked. "The sergeant says
you wish to speak to me on some particular business."

"Yes, sir; sure, and it is very particular business."

"You don't wish to speak to me quite alone, I suppose?" O'Connor
asked, seeing that she hesitated.

"No, your honor; seeing that these gentlemen are all officers there is
no reason in life why they should not hear what I have to say. But,
sure, sir, it's little my life would be worth if it were known outside
these walls that I had been here. My name is Bridget Moore, sir, and I
belong to County Galway. Well, your honor, there was a desperate
villain, they call the Red Captain, there. He was hiding in the hills
for some time near the little farm my husband holds. We did not know
who he was