Motion Picture Story Magazine (Aug 1911-Jan 1912)

ARRAH-NA-POGUE 47 in this neighborhood — who committed the robbery last night, and then shared with you the proceeds of his crime ! ' ' Arrah remained speechless, her face hidden in her hands. Consternation showed in the eyes of the guests, and the girls drew away from the accused woman. Shaun held out his hands appealingly. "Arran!" he coaxed. Then she spoke. "Shaun, let me spake to ye!" "No !" interposed the Major. "You are my prisoner. This girl must hold communication with no one. Search this place!" "I know ivery.hole an* corner in it," volunteered Feeny. "Folly me!" Fanny Power had listened to the baiting of the girl with growing suspicion and jealousy. Beamish had not told her of his hiding-place, and it appeared that this girl had sheltered him. Arrah 's silence provoked her. Approaching her, Miss Power urged her to give the information demanded. But Arrah maintained her stony silence. "You desire, then," said Miss Power, "that all here should believe you guilty? You wish that Shaun should accept your silence as a confession of your shame?" "Fanny Power," burst out the goaded Arrah, ' ' if all Ireland thought me guilty — ay, if I said the word mesilf an' swore to it, Shaun wud not belave it agin his own heart, that knows me too well to doubt me!" Michael Feeny scrambled down the ladder from the loft, a coat in his hand. "He has escaped!" he cried. "But here is his coat, and look! here is me pass that he stole!" "You see this, Arrah?" asked the Colonel. "Reflect, my good girl, that a cruel and a painful death is the penalty of this crime. I believe that you are screening some unworthy villain at the cost of your own life. Speak, Arrah!" The unhappy young bride flung out her arms. "Take me away!" she cried. "Dont I offer me hands to the irons? Why dont you take me away ? ' ' ' ' Stop ! ' ' ordered Shaun. < ' If she will not spake, I will. That coat there belongs to me. I robbed Feeny, and gave the notes to Arrah." "Shaun! Shaun! What are ye saying ? ' ' wailed Arrah, throwing her arms about him. "Hould up yer head, me darlint," said the young husband. ' ' Who dare say a word agin ye now? Yes, 0 'Grady, put it all down agin me, plaze. Dont cry, acushla. Sure, they cant harm a hair of yer head, now ! ' ' "Oh, Shaun, what have ye done!" sobbed Arrah. "Ye see how wrong ye all wor to be so hard upon her, an' she was as innocent as a child," said Shaun, reproachfully. With a moan, Arrah swayed, and the Colonel caught her in his arms as she fainted. "There, now, git me away handy afore she's sinsible," begged Shaun. Then, with an appeal in voice and eye, he asked: "Major, dear, is it agin the rigulations to take one kiss from her before I lave her, maybe foriver?" The favor was allowed him, and then he was led from the scene that had begun with such promise of happiness for him and his Arrah-naPogue. II The night passed drearily in his prison cell, and Shaun 's bright spirits were dull, indeed, in the morning. He heard the sergeant addressing the guard ; then the door was opened, and Fanny Power entered. She had determined upon this step after a night of wakefulness and wretchedness. She was convinced of Beamish 's infidelity, and had sent him a cruel note in place of meeting him at the chapel. She had then sought out her guardian, Colonel 0 'Grady, and offered him in marriage the hand he had before begged in vain. And now she was to perform the last act of readjustment ; she had come to tell Shaun