The Red Hand of Ulster

t my garden-parties this separation takes place naturally without the intervention of any authority. The men gather in a group under a certain chestnut-tree and ta

are occupied by people like the Pringles, those who are just eligible for invitations to my parties, but have, so to speak, no social position to spare. They always remind me of St. Paul's "righteous" who "scarcely are saved." The long side of

that they do not want him. No man whom I have ever met can tolerate Godfrey's company. He follows Lady Moyne about because he believes her to be a lady of political influence, and he hopes she will

their mothers have planted them. Marion finds this a difficult duty, requiring her utmost tact. My own duty, which I fulfil in the most conscientious manner, is to make as many complete journey

far end of the lawn. They were a singularly ill-assorted pair. Lady Moyne is invariably exquisite, a small woman with dainty ways and great vivacity. The Dean is an ecclesiastic as different as possible from the suave dignitaries who lead lives of scholarly leisure in cathedral closes. We picture the ideal dean, a slender man, slightly stooped, thin-lipped, with a suggestion of mild asceticism in his face. He steps slowly through the long window of his study. He paces the closely shaven lawn. The crows caw reverently in lofty trees. He holds a calf-bound volume of Plato in his hand. From time to time he glances from the cramped Greek text to the noble, weatherworn towers of his cathedral. His life is delicately scented with a fine mixture of classical culture and Tallis' ferial responses. Our Dean-he is also rector of ou

a humble maiden who sat with her mother in the third row. Bob, it appears, selected the damsel himself after looking all round the tennis-court. To the great scandal of every one present he led her away from the tennis-court, and found his way to the garden. There-I judged by the condition of her gloves when

im to dine with us. He refused, saying that he would be bu

n a condition of irritable exhaustion. After dinner we played Patience for an hour in the library. Then Marion to

on to the letters addressed to the editor. These are always, in my opinion, the most interesting part of any newspaper. The editor and leader writers are no doubt abler men than most of their correspondents; but then they write because they must, and they write in a hurry. The correspondents on the other hand

letter interested me very much. Malcolmson offered his lawn as a parade and drill ground for volunteers. He also said that he thoroughly understood modern guns, and was prepared to take command of any artillery which Ulster might happen to possess. I lay back in my chair and tried to form a mental picture of Malcolmson, who is stout and has a bristly white moustache, aiming an immense cannon at an income tax collector. The vision was a pleasan

ndow looking out across the bay on the far shore of which stands the little t

o-night," she said. "There are a lot of light

on the calm waters of the bay. The Finola, looking very large, lay at anchor, broadside on to us, opposite the pier. On her deck lights moved to and fro, yellow stars in the grey gloom. On the pier were more lig

g anything from the

carry cargoes, and if they did they would

the pier. After a while this cart emerged from the black shadows of the houses and we could see it toiling up the hill which leads out of the town. A very slight southerly br

said Marion. "There cannot h

er, and carts, laden like the one we watched, climb the hill. There is a

the Finola has been making a catch

aw it climbing the hill. Then the lights on the Finola's deck went ou

ld land fish in the middle

r increased. More lights appeared the

e ashamed of," said Marion, "I don'

itate me. I answered

ling. It wouldn't be any temptation to a millionaire to che

up the hill. It seemed as if Crossan's entire staff of men

w anything about it," sai

suppose B

rion, "and Godfrey seemed to think that h

McNeice and he is a Fellow of Trinity College. It's ridiculous to suppose that he's landing a cargo of port wine for consumption in the common room. Fellows of College don't do tha

smuggling theory. She gave me

nted the hill. The lights on the pier went out. A solitary bo

lity of finding any explanation of the curious proceedings of the Finola. The more I thought about the matter the less I was able to understand it. Marion's smuggling hypothesis I dismissed as inherently absurd. It is true that the government has withdrawn most of the coastguards from our shores. We used to have twelve of them at Kilmore, and they were pleasant fellows, always ready to chat on t

-that the Finola had, in the course of her voyage, netted an immense