Page:Surprising life and adventures of the gentleman-robber, Redmond O'Hanlon (2).pdf/21

21 side of the hole. When all was hushed the hands fell to work again to pick out the stones of the wall, and made the hole wider, and presently came in a head and shoulders, which the girl perceived, and making ready to give him a stroke, the fellow called to his comrades to bring him back, but the girl had taken care to lighten the load, by cutting off the head, which terrified the rest without so much, that they fled for the same, and nobody came afterwards to challenge the dead, neither was it known who he was, till Kelly, the great murderer, and robber, confessed it afterwards in his last speech at the gallows of Armagh. However, the girl was highly applauded. But now to return to Redmond and finish his life.

The gallows having destroyed many of Redmond’s notorious accomplices, and the large rewards that were offered by government for taking himself, encouraged even private persons to endeavour, by every means, to take him. And the family of the Johnstons of the Fews, are at present very serviceable to their country in apprehending tories and raparees, and they were more so then.

The vigilant Mr Johnston seldom let Redmond rest after his chief comrades were cut off, but hunted him over hills and dales; but more particularly once, having notice that he was at Narrow Water, took some men, and pursued him hot foot almost to Carlingford, where, for fear that he should get and hide, and so convey himself away by sea in the night, his passages were all intercepted, which Redmond observing, he made up to an alehouse by the river side, at which time it happened there was no boat near hand, nor bridge within a mile and a half of the place. By some means or other old Johnston got notice of it, and hastened to the place, thinking it not possible for Redmond to escape over so broad a river while the tide was in: for he