LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1006, 15 September 1877, Page 3

LITERATURE.

MARY CARROLL. [" Dublin University Magazine."] (Concluded.) When asked what had become of her fellow servant, she replied that he lay helpless for some time after the villains had departed, but as soon as he was able he had staggered out ..'f the house, and she had never seen him afterwards. by terror, Mary Carroll remembered n thing, ft orri ihe moment she was carrie I out of her father's h use until she found herself on horseba k before some one whose strong arm, passing round her waist, kept her from falling. They were travelling along a steep mountain road and the path was winding ami rugged, and -he could f el the horse stutnoliug as his feet came iu contact with the loope stones, wh ch were plentifully scattered along the pathway. She tried to turu her head, in order to obtain a view of their route, but a gruff voice sternly forbade her to try to find out wnere she was going. At last, after about three hours' riding, they stopped at a small cabin, and she was lifted from the saddle, while the shawl, which her abductors had hurriedly wrapped aroiuvl her as they bore her from her home, was drawn closely over her eyes. It was withdrawn as soon as she and her companions had entered the cabin, and she glanced around her. The place was entirely unknown to her, and consisted of a large smoke-darkened apatment, squalid and wretch d. out of which a smaller one opened. I here was no one in the place when they enteied but an old woman, whose dirty and smoke-dried appearance was in keeping with her mis. rable abode. To her the man who had held Mary on horseback spoke—- ' See what a bonny bird I have brought you, mother. So take good care of her, and do not let her escai e you until I get a better cage ready for her.' The old woman laughed. ' You may trust me for that, Mr William.' Mary Carroll started, and looked at the man who had spoken. In her agony of terror all through that dreadful ride, it had never occurred to her who her abductor might be. It had seemed as if all thought and feeling had been crushed out of her by fear, and she had been all but unconscious, but now, that voice! It was evidently disguised, yet it seemed familiar, and now the woman had called him 'Mr William.' Could it be that her abductor was William Bassett 1 Yes, it must be; and shuddering as she recalled his threats, she covered her face with her hands and burst into tears. Then, a whispered sentence caught her ear, and she looked up to see him in the act of despatching a messenger on some errand, and hear him whisper, ' Tell him to come without fail tonight at midnight, Smith, for I will defer the marriage no longer,' No longer doubting his identity, she sprang up and confronted him—- ' What marriage do you speak of, William Bassett ?' Seeing disguise no longer possible, he answered her in her his natural voice,— ' (iur marriage, Mary Carroll! I >id I not tell you that you should nevex marry O'Bara while I had power to prevent you ? I have that power, and I am sending for a minister to marry us at midnight, so that the best thing you can do is to go to bed in the meantime and rest, so that my bride may look blithe and bonny, as a bade should look.' The hot, indignant teare rushed into her eyes, and she replied firmly,— ' You may kill me, if you like, William Bassett, but I will never be bride of yours. And oh i Smith,' she cried, clasping her hands, 'if you are a man, you will not do this coward's bidding, but will help a poor girl, who has never wronged you, to es"ape from his clutches.' 'lhe man laughed a little mocking laugh, yet, as he passed out of the door she fancied that he threw a reassuring glance in her direction, and her heart bounded at the thought; then, turning to the woman, she asked her to lead her to some place where at least she would be free from mockery and intrusion. The woman complied, and showing her into the inner apartment, pointed to a bed, ' where,' she said, 'she might rest until the arrival of the minister,' and barring the door on the outside, left her to her own thoughts. Almost distracted by the sto r y told by his servant, as soon as Mr C arroll could collect strength for the task, he and Edward O'Hara rm-hed to the neighbouring town, spreading the news of the abduction, and begging the assistance of his neighbours to search for the lost girl. They met with the warmest sympathy, for Mary Carroll was a general favorite, and many of the townspeople turned out in search of her in every direction, while Edward O'Hara hasteted to call on the officer commanding the military then quartered in the neighbourhood. His path lay by the river, and just at the spot where he had last left him he ran up against Smith. He stopped him immediately, to ask if he knew anything, but iSniith replied - ' Do not stop me, Mr O'Hara, I am going on a message, and am in a hurry.' Then lowering his voice, he added, ' I am watched, and cannot stand; one of my comrades is just behind me, and we are sent to bring a minister to marry a runaway couple. The wedding is to be at midnight, in the little cabin on the side of Knockregh mountain.' Without another word he passed on, while his companion took up with him on the instant. At midnight it was rather a strange scene in the cabin on the side of the mountain.

A coarse, vulgar-looking man, who, if he ever had been a minister, certainly no longer disgraced the sacrpd office, stood beaide a pale, tearful girl and a dark, fiercelooking but handsome, young man. He held a large book in his hand, and was evidently irying to attract the attention of the weeping girl. But coaxing and threads were alike thrown away up >n her, positively refused to stand up 'to go through t'>e mockery of a ceremony with a man against whom every feeling of her heart revolted.' ' William Bass> tt stood over her, with a , dark scowl on his Hushed face evidently he would have used compulsion, but for the inteiference of the minister. i ' Give her a few more minutes,' he urged, • arid she will noon see how useless this opposition is.' Standing in different attitudes through the apartment weife the c'oia-

panions of Bassett, while Smith stood sentry on the door, which was securelj fastened. At last Bassett lost patience. 'This nonsense can last no longer. I have not risked so much to be foiled now,' he shouted. Get up, girj, and take your part in this ceremony.' 'I will not,'she shrieked, 'never, never! Great Heavens ! is there no one to help me V A.s if in response to her appeal, there was ;i confused murmur at the door, then a loud crash, and the frail barrier was dashed from its hinges, while a p'sse of military, headed by their officer, and accompanied by Mr Carroll and Edward O'Hara, poured into the cabin. I will not attempt to paint the scene which ensued. Bui> William Bassett and his accomplices were arrested and conveyed c>unty prison. Although, on his dead father's account, the Carro Is and Edward O'Hara would have been glad to spare him, it could not be ; and Mary was obliged to appear in Court, as chief witness against him. Her evidence was so conclusive that he was sentenced to transportation beyond the seas for fourteen years, his companions suffering the same punishment for a shorter term. Within a year horn her abduction Mary Carroll became the wife of Edward O'Hara, who is still alive, and is now the leading lawyer in his native town.