THE O'FARRELLY FEUD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 June 1940, Page 10

THE O'FARRELLY FEUD

COPYRIGHT. PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.

By

GEORGE A. BIRMINGHAM.

CHAPTER XII. (Continued). “If you leave it in my hands,” said Rnnie, “I can talk him round into accepting something quite moderate.” He was not at all sure about this. But “moderate” is a word which may bear many meanings end he did feel confident that there must be some payment which O’Farrelly would accept. “He’ll not get one single penny from me,” said Lady Margaret. ‘He’ll get far more than I mean to offer him,” said Ronnie, “if the case goes into court. We haven’t a ghost of a defence to offer.”

“Surely,” said Daphne, "no judge would be so wicked to say that we had done anything wrong or that O’Farrelly could possiblj' be right about, anything.” "Couldn't we tell the judge," said Mousie, "how frightfully he beats poor Danny? He could be put in prison for that, couldn’t he?” “What about your throwing stones at the boy?” said Daphne. “We don't want that to come out if we can help it.”

“But I didn’t hit him.” said Mousie, "not once.”

"No judge,” said Rennie, “could punish a man for beating a boy like Danny. That would be a point in O’Farrelly’s favou n' it came out at all." “But that would be wrong,” said Mousie.

“An Irish judge,’ said Lady Margaret, ‘doesn't care a rap what's right or wrong. This judge, whoever he is. will probably turn out to be a cousin of O’Farrelly’s or married to his sister. That’s the kind of man they make into a judge now. Of course, he’ll decide in favour of his own relation, whatever we say.”

Lady Margaret, like most of the Irish aristocrats who l.ave survived the revolution, had the lowest possible opinion of the Irish Free State and the integrity of its government or its courts of law. She had seen the power pass from members of her own class into the hands of those whom she had always called blackguards, and now nothing that was done in Ireland could possibly be right. “If it comes to paying up,” she went on. “I’d a great deal rather bribe the judge than submit to blackmail from O’Farrelly. How much do you suppose I ought to give him, Ronnie? Would a £lO note be enough?" "For God's sake,” said Ronnie “don’t attempt that.” “Well, £20,” said Lady Margaret. “I’m not gru'dging the money. All I want to make sure is that the case is dismissed and O’Farrelly sent home with his tail between his legs.” Ronnie thought of Judge Morissy, remembered his sternness and incorruptible integrity. He shivered at the thought of what might happen if a bribe was offered to such a man. He could not at the moment recall what penalties are inflicted on a litigant who tries to bribe a judge, but he felt sure that Judge Morrissy's inclination would be to put Lady Margaret in the pillory and hire Danny O’Farrelly to throw mud at her.

“I don’t mind going to £50,” said Lady Margaret. “I suppose those fellows open their mouths pretty widely when they are allowed to call themselves judges. Who is he? Some spalpeen from a bog dt the back of beyond, I suppose.” “As a matter of fact,” said Ronnie, ‘the judge we shall have to deal with is a man called Morrissy, and he’s the very last man in Ireland who would take a bribe.” “All these fellows will take bribes,” said Lady Margaret, “and be glad to get them.” “Your ladyship is right there,” said Quinn, who was filling her glass witn port at the moment.

He had almost as low an opinion of his fellow countrymen as Lady Margaret had. “You can’t offer Morrissy money,” said Ronnie.

“I can,” said Lady Margaret, “and what’s more he’ll take it, if I offer him enough. It’s all a question of how much and that’s what I want your advice about, Ronnie.” “Morrissy is a gentleman,” said Ronnie.

“Everybody is a gentleman now,” said Lady Margaret, “when I, was young we called them corner boys.” "And an educated man,” said Ronnie. "He’s* a what-do-you-call-it, the sort of man wno knows all about old silver and china and furniture and prints and things. What is the word 1 want?”

“Connoisseur,, said Mousie. “That’s it. Morrissy is a well-known connoisseur.”

“If we can’t offer him money,” said Daphne, “we might give him something else.” “Mullet. I suppose," said Rennie, who was becoming slightly irritated.

“Don’t bo silly," said Daphne, “of course mullet would be no good. We must offer him something he collects. What does he c< llect? Is it stamps? He's sure to collect something if he's a connoisseur. You're' sure that's the right word, Mousie?" “If he knows all about China and jade and art generally.” said Mousie. "then he’s a connoisseur.”

"As a matter of fact.” said Ronnie, "I believe he has the finest collection in Ireland of —now is it Chinese pictures or old Irish silver? It’s one or the other, though I can't remember which. But it makes no odds what he collects, we can't bribe him that way any more than with money.” ■'Aunt Margaret.” said Daphne. "Have you any Chinese pictures?" "No, I haven’t. Is it likely I'd fill my house up with Chinese pictures If I wanted pictures at all, which I don’t, I wouldn’t go to China for them. That’s the place for tea. not pictures.” "Then let’s hope it’s silver.” said Daphne. "You’ve plenty of that. I suppose?" "Her ladyship." said Quinn, "has as

Author of “General John Regan,” “Up the Rebels,” etc., etc.

much silver as would sink a good sized ship. There’s thousands and thousands of pounds worth of silver belonging to the family; only the most of it is in the bank."

"I used to keep it in a safe in the butler’s pantry," said Lady Margaret, “but I sent it to the bank when your friend Morrissy and the rest of his comrades took to collecting it out of me houses of the people it belonged to. I'm not surprised to hear that he has a good collection; but he hasn’t got any of mine, thank God I was beforehand with him and got it all safe away to the bank in Ballycon Before they got as far as Carrickduv. Otherwise your friend the judge's collection would be better than it is.”

"I suppose you can get it out of the bank whenever you want to?” said Daphne.

"Of course 1 can and I will. What had I better offer him? There are a couple of Queen Anne teapots. I believe they're rather good.” "It's sheer lunacy to offer him as much as a spoon,” said Ronnie. “There’s a set of six George 11. salt cellars. Your uncle Lucius thought a lot of them, Daphne, and they're no earthly use to me. And there are some old Irish potato rings. I've been told that they’re rare. Thank God. I’m a civilised woman and eat my potatoes off a plate. But I expect Judge Morrisy, if that’s his name, has scarcelygot as far as plates yet. Those fellows are just savages, you know.”

“Old potato rings are worth a frightfull lot,” said Mousie. "I remember seeing in the paper once—it was a kind of advertisement—that one had been sold for ”

“I don't care what they’re worth,” said Lady Margaret. “They’re no use to me when tney’re lying in the bank. I'd give more than a few potato rings to make sure of getting the better of Peter O’Farrelly.” She finished her glass of port and then went off to her own room for her afternoon nap. "But before I close my eyes,” she said “I'll write to the bank to send out some of that silver.” CHAPTER XIV.

Three days later there arrived at Carrickduv, a strong case, metal cornered, padlocked, roped and heavily sealed. It was brought from the bank by Jimmy Flanagan, who complained about the weight of it. “And why wouldn't it be heavy,” said Quinn, to whom the complaint was made, “seeing that it contains the world’s wealth of gold and silver?” He was wrong about the gold, as he very well knew; but some of the silver was worth almost as much as if it had been gold. The unpacking was done by Quinn in the presence of Lady Margaret and the two girls. Quinn, though he had originally packed the case and knew' very well what was in it. broke into exclamations of joy and admiration as he unwrapped one thing after another. Domini Sampson, when dealing with Guy Mannering's books, was scarcely more ecstatic.

“Its only the real old gentry has things like that,” he said, laying a teapot on the table in front of Daphne. “There’s a cream jug for you now! Would you see the like of it if you was to go over the treasure house of the Queen of Spain's daughter!” That lady has almost occupied in the minds of the Irish people a position like that accorded by the Jews to the Queen of Sheba. The fact that Spain is now a Republic and contemptuous of queens and their daughters has made no difference to the Irish, a people devoted to loyalty, though they intensely dislike the tune of God Save the King.

Neither Daphne nor Mousie had any clear idea of the value of the old silver spread out before them. Lady Margaret, who probably knew something about it was lavish in her willingness to part, with it. She was a lady who believed in doing thoroughly anything that she did at all. and the bribing of a judge, even an Irish judge, must be done on a grand scale. There is no use offering a man in that position a dozen tea spoons in an imitation leather case.

Quinn protested from time to time. "Where's the use,” he said when ordered to set aside a Queen Anne teapot. “Where's the use of giving the like of that teapot to a follow that’s accustomed to brown delf? What would he do with it if he had it?” "If he's a collector,” said Lady Margaret, “he'll put it in a glass case and swagger about it to his friends.”

"Collector,” growled Quinn. “Cock the likes of him up for a collector. It’s collecting spuds with a dung fork he ought to be and not silver.”

“But Aunt Margaret,” said Daphne, "aren't you giving him too much?” "Nothing’s too much.” said Lady Margaret, "in order to get the better of Peter O’Farrelly. I’d give the clothes off my back rather than let that ruffian triumph over me." Daphne had no more doubt than her aunt had about the possibility of bribing a judge. She felt that it was foolish to overdo the thing by giving more than was really necessary. If a steward on a steamer will give extra service in exchange for a pound, it is silly and perhaps ostentatious to give him five pounds.

Ihe tippable classes-—judges among them according to Lady Margaret—despise rather than respect those who tip too lavishly. It was on this point that she consulted Ronnie a couple of days later. (To be Continued)