And through the ragged roof the sky shone, barr'd
With naked beam and rafter."
Getting off his horse and walking up the broken, moss-covered steps, the Colonel rang the bell, which gave forth a melancholy sound that scared a colony of jackdaws who had established themselves unmolested for many a year in the chimneys and uninhabited rooms.
On the second summons a shock head was cautiously poked out of an upper window. "Sure now, it's no use at all, at all, av yer ringing away like that: the master's gone abroad these six months; he told me to say so last night. Divil a writ can you serve him wid, my honey; av ye don't be off the master will be after shooting ye for a thafe from the hall windy."
"I'm no writ server," returned the Colonel. "I come in consequence of a note I received from Captain O'Rooney this morning."
"Troth, then, ye are the English soldier colonel. His honour the master will be wid ye at onst," and the head disappeared.
Presently that of the Captain protruded.
"See now, Colonel," said he, "ould Mat thought you were a Bum. I'm sorry to say I'm a Sunday man now. The thundering thieves they've been about the place all the morning to serve me. I wish they may get it. Nabocklish! catch a weasel asleep. I'll let you in."
In a minute or so the front door was slowly and cautiously unchained, and the Colonel found himself in the hall of Clough-bally-More Castle. It was a perfect ruin, and, if possible, more ghastly and miserable-looking on the inside than the outside. The Captain's room was, however, pretty cosy, and in decent repair. A bright turf fire burnt on the hearth; a couple of guns adorned the walls; rods, fishing-tackle, and various other sporting paraphernalia were scattered about the room in indescribable confusion.
"Be seated, Colonel," said the steeple-chase rider; "I may as well come to the point at once. D——, of Galway, has a writ out against my person for four hundred pounds. They tried to serve it on me last night, and again this morning, the divil fly away with them! May the flames of——"