ael." said the engine driver to the guard, "did you not tell me
that them soldiers has guns with them and tin hats on their heads?"

"I did tell you that," said the guard, "and I told you the truth."

"My impression is," said Tom, "that those soldiers aren't armed at
all. They seem to be a harmless set of men off to Dublin on leave, very
likely going to be married themselves. They're certainly not on duty."

The engine driver scratched his head.

Susie, inspired by a wink from Tom, broke into a despairing wail.

"If that's the way of it," said the engine driver, "it would be
different, of course."

"Come and see," said Tom.

The sergeant and his men were sitting in their compartment smoking
cigarettes. Their heads were bare. Most of them had their tunics
unbuttoned. One of them was singing a song, in which the whole party
joined:

"Mary, Jane and Polly
Find it very jolly
When we take them out with us to
Tea--tea--tea!"

There was not a single rifle to be seen anywhere.

"There now," said Tom. "You see for yourselves. You can't call those men
munitions of war."

The guard, who had seen the soldiers march into the station, was
puzzled; but the engine driver seemed convinced that there had been some
mistake.

"I'll do it," he said, "for the sake of the young girl and the brave lad
that wants to marry her, I'll take the train to Dublin."

"Well, hurry up," said Tom. "Drive that old engine of yours for all
she's worth."

The driver hastened to his post. The guard blew his whistle shrilly. Tom
seized his wife by the arm.

"Hop into the carriage with Susie Farrelly," he said. "Dry her eyes,
and tell her I'll spend L5 on a silk blouse for her, pink or blue or
any colour she likes. I'll explain the whole thing to you when we get
to Dublin. I can't travel with you. The guard is only half convinced and
might turn suspicious if he saw us together."

Tom O'Donovan caught, just caught the mail boat at Kingstown. He secured
the agency for the sale of the Manners' machines in Ireland. He is in a
fair way to becoming a very prosperous man; but it is unlikely that he
will ever be a member either of Parliament or Dail Eireann. He says that
politics interfere with business.

VII. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION

When Willie Thornton, 2nd Lieutenant in the Wessex Fusiliers, was sent
to Ireland, his mother was nervous and anxious. She had an idea that the
shooting of men in uniform was a p