"O?" I said, wondering what it could mean.
"Yes," said the man. "The rebels came here, captured the police barracks, took every rifle and all the ammunition, and marched away to Dublin or Wexford. But before they did that they cut down all the telegraph wires and stopped all communication between this town and any other. They made a good job of it—every man of them got away."
He then left the car to go over to speak to the soldier in charge. When he returned he said, "I told him about the wires being cut further up the road." And then we started off again. He stopped the car outside of the village near a bridge and told us that he was not going any further. We stepped out of the car and thanked him for his kindness in bringing us so far.
"Not at all," he said. "Don't mention it. Glad to help any one."
We watched him as he turned the car up a driveway of an estate near the bridge; wondering if he would be glad to think that he had helped the daughters of the Commandant-General of the Rebels to reach Dublin.
XIII
We had been walking only half an hour when we saw a cavalry regiment coming towards us and leaving Dublin. First came the advance guard, then a long line of soldiers and horses, and then their artillery and their supply wagons, and more soldiers brought up the rear. They made a brave show tearing along the country road raising a dust as high as the horses.
"Nora, Nora," wailed Agna. "They're leaving Dublin—they're leaving it—not going to it. Our men must be beaten."