“Thank you, sir,” Denis replied.  “I have no objection at all to give evidence as to what I know, so that it does not come out it was Bridget who tould you where they were hiding.”

“You need not be afraid of that, Denis.  Captain O’Connor gave her his word that her name should not be mentioned.  At the same time I have no doubt he will claim for her the hundred pounds reward that was offered; and if he obtains it he will send it to you, so that nobody will be any the wiser.”

“I should not like to take informer’s money,” Denis said.

“Not in ordinary cases,” Ralph replied.  “But you see she spoke out, not for the sake of money, but to get you out of their hands.  And considering how much mischief those fellows have done, and how much more they would have done had we not laid hands on them, it is a very different case from that of an ordinary informer.  None of your neighbors will know that she has had anything to do with the capture of these men, therefore no one will be any the wiser, and no doubt a hundred pounds will be very useful to you.  I am sure you deserve some sort of compensation for being dragged away from home, and for the risk you ran in that fight; for a bullet might just as well have struck you as any of the others.  I know that if I were in your place I should accept it without the least hesitation.  And now, as I don’t suppose they have left any money on you, and as your wife is not likely to be very well provided, I will give you five pounds on account; and remember that I shall always feel your debtor for the manner in which you saved my life by springing upon that ruffian just at the critical moment.”

“You will deduct it from the other money, your honor?” Denis said, hesitating.

“Certainly I will, Denis.  I should not think of offering you money for such a service as you rendered me.  Now, if you will just give me your address in Galway I will make a note of it; though I don’t think it at all likely you will be wanted at the trial.  They will most likely proceed against him on the charge of shooting his officer and deserting; for they will have no difficulty in proving that, as the regiment he belonged to is in Dublin.”

Denis started at once to rejoin his wife, highly pleased to have got away so quickly.  Two days later Captain Morrison and Mr. Stapleton arrived from headquarters.

“I congratulate you, Conway,” the latter said heartily.  “We all pitied your being ordered away to this dreary place; and now you have been getting no end of honor and credit.  O’Connor’s report speaks in the strongest terms of you, and says it was entirely owing to your promptness and courage that the band was captured, and his life and that of Desmond saved.  The Cork papers are full of the affair; and the capture of that notorious scoundrel, the Red Captain, created quite an excitement, I can tell you.  The only bad part of the affair is that we have had to come out here, for I am afraid there is no chance whatever of another adventure like yours.”