f disenthralling and recovering his daughter. Several times, it is
alleged, she was seen by the old servants. Once on a sweet summer
morning, in the window of the tower, she was perceived combing her
beautiful golden tresses, and holding a little mirror in her hand; and
first, when she saw herself discovered, she looked affrighted, and then
smiled, her slanting, cunning smile. Sometimes, too, in the glen, by
moonlight, it was said belated villagers had met her, always startled
first, and then smiling, generally singing snatches of old Irish
ballads, that seemed to bear a sort of dim resemblance to her melancholy
fate. The apparition has long ceased. But it is said that now and again,
perhaps once in two or three years, late on a summer night, you may
hear--but faint and far away in the recesses of the glen--the sweet, sad
notes of Una's voice, singing those plaintive melodies. This, too, of
course, in time will cease, and all be forgotten.

CHAPTER VIII

Sister Agnes and the Portrait

When Ultor De Lacy died, his daughter Alice found among his effects a
small box, containing a portrait such as I have described. When she
looked on it, she recoiled in horror. There, in the plenitude of its
sinister peculiarities, was faithfully portrayed the phantom which lived
with a vivid and horrible accuracy in her remembrance. Folded in the
same box was a brief narrative, stating that, "A.D. 1601, in the month
of December, Walter De Lacy, of Cappercullen, made many prisoners at the
ford of Ownhey, or Abington, of Irish and Spanish soldiers, flying from
the great overthrow of the rebel powers at Kinsale, and among the number
one Roderic O'Donnell, an arch traitor, and near kinsman to that other
O'Donnell who led the rebels; who, claiming kindred through his mother
to De Lacy, sued for his life with instant and miserable entreaty, and
offered great ransom, but was by De Lacy, through great zeal for the
queen, as some thought, cruelly put to death. When he went to the
tower-top, where was the gallows, finding himself in extremity, and no
hope of mercy, he swore that though he could work them no evil before
his death, yet that he would devote himself thereafter to blast the
greatness of the De Lacys, and never leave them till his work was done.
He hath been seen often since, and always for that family perniciously,
insomuch that it hath been the custom to show to young children of that
lineage the picture of the said O'Donnell, i