I shall
have real pleasure in giving evidence against the scoundrel for I was
present at the time he shot poor Forrest. I wasn't five yards away,
but it was all over and the villain was off before I had time to lift
a hand."
After dinner was over Ralph gave the full history of the capture in
the cavern, of which Captain O'Connor had sent but an outline.
"It was a sharp fight indeed," the major said when he had finished;
"for, for a time you were greatly outnumbered, and in the dark
discipline is not of much avail. I think on the whole you got very
well out of it, and O'Connor and Desmond were lucky in having got off
with a broken limb each."
Ralph was detained some days in Cork, as he had to be present at the
courthouse when the prisoners were brought up before the magistrates.
After giving his evidence as to the capture, his attendance was no
further required. All with the exception of the Red Captain were
committed at once upon the charges of working an illicit still, and of
offering a forcible resistance with arms to the authority of the
king's officers. The Red Captain was charged with several murders, and
was remanded in order that evidence might be obtained from the
regiment to which he belonged in Dublin, and of the constabulary and
other people in County Galway. Ralph then returned to Ballyporrit.
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