could not "set her mind at rest"
until the other two were safe. After that she promised to take me in
hand; whether for reward or for punishment left me guessing.

The six and a half days finally came to an end, and we debarked for
Queenstown. The journey across Ireland was made as quickly as slow
trains and a circuitous route would permit, and we reached Sligo on the
second day. Sir Thomas's agent met us, and we drove at once to the
"little castle out from Sligo." It proved to be a very old little
castle, four miles out, overlooking the bay. It was low and flat, with
thick walls of heavy stone pierced by a few small windows, and a broad
door made of black Irish oak heavily studded with iron. From one corner
rose a square tower, thirty feet or more in height, covered with wild
vines that twined in and out through the narrow, unglazed windows.

Within was a broad, low hall, from which opened four rooms of nearly
equal size. There was little evidence that the castle had been inhabited
during recent years, though there was an ancient woman care-taker who
opened the great door for us, and then took up the Irish peasant's wail
for the last of the O'Haras. She never ceased her crooning except when
she spoke to us, which was seldom; but she placed us at table in the
state dining room, and served us with stewed kid, potatoes, and goat's
milk. The walls of the dining room were covered with ancient pictures of
the O'Haras, but none so recent as a hundred years. We could well
believe Sir Tom's words, "the sod has known us for a thousand years,"
when we looked upon the score of pictures, each of which stood for at
least one generation.

The agent told us that our friend had never lived at the castle, but
that he had visited the place as a child, and again just before leaving
for America. A wall-enclosed lot about two hundred feet square was "the
kindest sod in all the world to an O'Hara," and here we placed our dear
friend at rest with the "lucky ones" of his race. No one of the race
ever deserved more "luck" than did our Sir Tom. The young clergyman who
read the service assured us that he had found it; and our minds gave the
same evidence, and our hearts said Amen, as we turned from his peaceful
resting-place by the green waters of Sligo Bay.

Two days later we were comfortably lodged at The Hague, from which we
intended to "do" the little kingdom of Holland by rail, by canal, or on
foot, as we should elect.

CHAPTER LX