e the ould place was doomed; the flames had burst
through the lower windows, and were carried by the lattice-work, that
reached high above the portico, to the upper story.

While I was looking at the blazing pile, a horseman galloped at full
speed up the avenue. Just as he had almost reached the Hall door, and
was reining in his horse to dismount, four or five dark figures appeared
to spring suddenly out of the ground, and I heard the report of
fire-arms--two distinct shots I could swear to. At the first, one of
the party, who sought to intercept the mounted man, fell; at the second,
the rider rolled from his saddle heavily to the ground, and then the
other figures disappeared as suddenly as they had at first sprung up.

I was so thunderstruck, that for some few minutes I could not stir from
the spot.

Seeing no sign of the approach of the military or police, curiosity, or
some strong feeling, got the better of my prudence, and I hurried
forward to the scene of slaughter, for such in my heart I felt it was--
in the case of at least of one of the fallen men. And there, with the
lurid light of the burning building flashing across his deathlike face,
and the purple blood welling up from a wound in his chest through his
cambric shirt-frill, lay, stretched in death, the newly appointed agent,
and, close beside him, O'Rourke, still living, but drawing every breath
with such difficulty that I felt certain his last hour had come.

I raised his head, and spoke to him. He knew my voice, and, by a
superhuman effort, managed to support himself on his elbow, as he took a
small purse from his breast-pocket; he placed it in my hand, and said,
"Phil, darlin', I know you've the brave and thrue heart, though it's
only a boy you are. Listen to my last words. Kape my secret, for my
sake; never let on to man or mortial you saw me here. Give that purse
to Mary--take her to her frinds in Amerikay--she'll never hear of _this_
there, and may larn in time to forget me. Tell her we shall meet in a
better place; and hark! my eyes are growing dark, but I can hear well
enough, there are futsteps--they are coming this way; run, for your
life; if you are found here, you will die on the gallows, and that would
break your poor old father and mother's hearts! Bless you, Phil,
alanna! Remember my last words, and, as you hope for mercy, do my
bidding!"

He drew a deep sigh, fell heavily from my arms, rolled over on his side,
and there--with