erry, his clothes reduced to rags, and his face and
hands bleeding, stood before him, terror in every feature. "They took
me prisoner at the gate there, but I contrived to slip away, and took to
the mountain, and a fine chase they gave me for the last hour----"

"But the soldiers--where are they, and in what place?"

"There's two troops of horse about a mile below Mary's in the glen,
waiting for Hemsworth's orders to advance."

"Go on," said Mark, with a stern smile; "they're not likely to move for
some time."

"I do not know that, then," said Kerry, "for I saw Hemsworth pass up the
road, with two men holding him on his horse; he seemed to have got a
bad fall, for the blood was running down his face, and his cheeks was as
pale as a corpse."

"You saw Hemsworth, and he was living!"

"Faix he was, and no doubt of it; there never was the man in these parts
could curse and swear the way he does, barrin' himself, and I heerd him
blasphaming away as he went along what he wouldn't do down here."

"Oh, fly, Mark; don't lose a second, for heaven's sake.----"

"And leave you here to the mercy of this scoundrel and his bloodhounds."

"No, no; we are safe here; he dare not wreak his vengeance on us; but
you are his greatest enemy."

"'Tis thrue she's sayin'," cried Kerry, eagerly; "I heerd Hemsworth say
to Sam Wylie, that Captain Travers is up at Macroom with his regiment,
and was coming down to guard the castle here; but that there was plenty
of time to take you before he came, and there was a tree standing to
hang you, besides."

"I leave you, then, in safe keeping," said Mark, with a touch of sarcasm
in his voice; "one word of good-bye to my father, and I am gone."

It was some moments before the O'Donoghue could rally from the deep
stupor grief and anxiety induced, and recognize Mark as he leaned over
his chair; and then as he felt his hands and clutched his arms, he
seemed endeavouring to persuade himself that it was not some passing
dream he laboured under.

"The pursuit is too hot, father," said Mark, after two or three efforts
to arouse his mind to what was going forward, "and I must be off.
Hemsworth has a strong party in the glen; but fear nothing; he cannot
molest you; and, besides, his time is brief now."

"And will you leave me, Mark; will you desert me now?" said the old man,
with all the selfishness of age, forgetting every thing, save his own
feelings.

"Not if you wish me to remain; if you think t