“That brings us to the other matter,” said the man already spoken of as Flanagan, the secretary, in whom I recognised one of my old persecutors, “and it’s about that same vermin. I’ve a letter from the Ulster Committee bidding us deal with Gorman in a way that’s best for the good of Ireland.”
“That means a bullet in him,” said one man bluntly.
“Faith, and you’ve hit it, my lad. We’ve been squeamish enough.”
“It’s got to be done, and soon, or he’ll get the upper hand of us. There’s men of his away seizing the arms in Rathmullan and Milford this week—him as was the manes of bringing them in too!”
“It’s one man’s job. His house is too well guarded for a raid; he must be met on the hillside. I say, let’s draw lots. To-morrow he’s to ride to Malin by the Black Hill road.”
“Ay, that’s the road Terence Gorman rode the night he paid his debts. It’s a grand place for squaring up is the Black Hill.”
“Come now,” said Flanagan, who had been busily marking a piece of paper, “there’s a paper for each of yez, and the one that draws the cross is the boy for the job. Come, one at a time now; draw out of my ould hat, and good luck to yez all.”
One by one they advanced and drew, and the lot fell on one they called Paddy Corkill, whose vicious face fell a little as he saw the fatal mark.
“Arrah, and it’s me hasn’t aven a gun,” said he.
“Take mine—it’s a good one,” said the secretary; “and more by tokens it was Tim Gallagher’s once, for he gave it me, and his name’s on it. To-morrow noight we meet here to hear your news, Paddy, if we’re not on the hill, some of us, to see the job done.”