no escape for those poor wretches,
stripped in their bed; none for that aged woman, who could not take
herself away from among the guns and rocks of her pursuers; none for
those poor children; none, indeed, for the father of the family, upon
whom the ten would come in his lair. If his wife had threatened to
tell, he must pay for his wife's garrulity. Pat Gilligan had suffered
for some such offence, and it was but just that she and he and they
should suffer also. But the three might have to suffer, also, in
their turns, if they consented to subject themselves to so bloody an
aristocracy. And therefore they stalked forth at night and went up to
Kerrycullion, at the heels of the other party, and saw it all. Now,
one after another, the six were killed, or all but killed, and then
the three went back to their homes, resolved that they would have
recourse to the other aristocracy.

Between Galway and Cong and Kerrycullion, Hunter was kept going
in these days, so as to obtain always the latest information for
his master. For, though the neighbourhood of Morony Castle was now
supposed to be quiet, and though the Captain was not at the moment
on active service, Hunter was still allowed to remain with him. And,
indeed, Captain Clayton's opinion was esteemed so highly, that,
though he could do nothing, he was in truth on active service. "They
are sticking to their story, all through?" he asked Hunter, or rather
communicated the fact to Hunter for his benefit.

"Oh, yes! sir; they stick to their story. There is no doubt about
them now. They can't go back."

"And that boy can talk now?"

"Yes, sir; he can talk a little."

"And what he says agrees with the three men? There will be no more
murders in that county, Hunter, or in County Galway either. When
they have once learned to think it possible that one man may tell of
another, there will be an end to that little game. But they must hang
them of course."

"Oh, yes! sir," said Hunter. "I'd hang them myself; the whole ten of
them, rather than keep them waiting."

"The trial is to be in Dublin. Before that day comes we shall find
what they do about Lax. I don't suppose they will want me; or if they
did, for the matter of that, I could go myself as well as ever."

"You could do nothing of the kind, Captain Clayton," said Edith, who
was sitting there. "It is absurd to hear you talk in such a way."

"I don't suppose he could just go up to Dublin, miss," said Hunter.

"Not fo