Page:Irish assassin, or, The misfortunes of the family of O'Donnel (2).pdf/19

19 The letter was as follows:

Donegal, Sunday night. My ever-respected master, I have only time to exhort you to proceed hither without delay. The villain McPherson after the most diabolical attempt to force my young mistress to his odious purposes, in which he twas happily prevented by her father, has gone to Dublin, and informed Sir Neale of your marriage, who has arrived here in the most dreadful passion; he has locked your mother in the vault below the left wing, and your dear unfortunate wife, who was on a visit to her, he has treated with unparalleled brutality, turning her out of doors in a rainy night, and even striking her some severe blows in the heat of his anger. My poor lady is now at Murphy’s cabin extremely ill, attended by her unhappy father, whose cottage was burned down last night. Come as swift as you can, as I fear my young mistress is in great danger, and raves continually of you. In haste.

Your devoted servant,

When Arthur had received this agonising letter he had just returned from riding. His agitation for some tune was very great. At length he rang for a servant whom he desired to get his horse to the door in a moment and to fix the travelling holsters with a brace of loaded pistols to the saddle, as he was going a long journey.

While the unhappy Arthur is winging his speed to the house of his forefathers, we will return to Sir Neale who arrived at his estate on the afternoon of the third day, bloated with contending passions of injured pride and inveterate hatred towards all who he conceived were privy to the conduct of his son. Amongst others included in the curses he was incessantly venting, his amiable wife was foremost. To her he attributed much of his supposed dishonour, and on her innocent head he determined to take the most signal revenge. On his entering the hall of the chateau, the first person he met