sob of misery in their voices. Dragging themselves up after them
came the women--some pressing babies to their breasts, others
leading little children by the hand. The men had begged them to stay
at home. There might be bad work that day, but the women had
answered:

"If WE go they won't hurt YOU!" and they pressed on after the
leaders.

At three o'clock O'Connell ascended the hill and stood alone on the
great mount.

A cry of greeting went up.

He raised his hand in acknowledgment.

It was strange indeed for him to stand there looking down at the
people he had known since childhood. A thousand conflicting emotions
swept through him as he looked at the men and women whom, only a
little while ago, it seemed, he had known as children. THEN he bent
to their will. The son of a peasant, he was amongst the poorest of
the poor. Now he came amongst them to try and lift them from the
depths he had risen from himself.

"It is Frankie O'Connell himself," cried a voice.

"Him we knew as a baby," said another.

"Fightin' O'Connell! Hooray for him!" shouted a third.