se again. The driver did not pause:
he jumped from his box with amazing celerity and disappeared so swiftly
that the rebels could not catch him. And while the horse lay struggling
on the street, a motor-car came by, and again the rebels sent out their
challenge, and again the challenge was ignored. "Halt! Halt! Halt!..."
The chauffeur drove on, and the rebels fired on the occupants of the
car. There was a swift application of brakes, and the car slithered up
against the pavement ... and as it slithered, a man stood up beside the
driver, holding his hand to his side, and yelled, "Oh, I'm dead! I'm
dead!..."

The chauffeur hurried away....

The rebels gathered round the shrieking man. "Why didn't you stop when
we challenged you!" they demanded.

"Aw! Aw! Aw!" he answered....

"Like a stuck pig!" thought Henry. "Squealing like a stuck pig!"

His head was rolling, but he was able to walk. "He's not much hurt,"
Henry murmured to himself, "but he's damned frightened."

"Aw, what did ye do it for? Aw! Aw! Aw!..."

"Take him to the hospital!..."

They led him a little way towards the hospital of St. Vincent de Paul,
and then, for some reason, changed their minds, and took him into the
Park. It was difficult now to see what was happening. There was a
derelict tram near the club, and beyond that, still pawing at the
ground, was the wounded horse....

"Why don't they shoot the poor beast!" Henry exclaimed.

But it would not enter their minds to put the animal out of pain. They
were Catholics, and Catholic peoples, the world over, are cruel to
beasts. Too intent on pitying their own souls, to have pity on
animals....

13

He closed the shutters and turned on the light. "I wonder where John
is?" he thought as he did so. "_This_ is why he couldn't come to
Glendalough with me. What the hell does he think he's going to gain by
it?" He glanced about the room. "It's damned odd," he said aloud, "but I
don't feel frightened. I should have thought I'd feel scared.... Of
course, as there was going to be a rebellion, I'm rather glad I'm here
to see it!"

He went to his bedroom and got a pack of patience cards.

"There'll be no theatre to-night!" he said. "I think I'll play 'Miss
Milligan.' ..."

14

The silence of the house made him feel restless.

"I'll go to bed," he exclaimed. "I may as well get all the sleep I can."

He went to his room, and stumbled towards the windows.

"I'll close the shutters while I'm un