The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-08-15

W hen 1 am no more, you will receive
package which contains my marriage Ger tiff
cate and my last will. I have toiled fo
your sake and have been successful. .
Martip-how l have watched over you
With what pride have / noticed your de
velopment-your position! And now to b,
cut off at the moment of reaping the reward
Of years Of elf-denial-it is bitter-bu
Gods will be done!"
Father! father!" cried Luke in agony
you are innocent. You must not die upoI
the SCI fold"
Tomorrow morning." said the old man
"when the sun is shining on all that is
beautiful on this fair earth, must take my
brief and sharp farewell of it. a moments
agony-and shall sleep in peace"
I" You shall be saved!' cried Luke. 81,
cannot be that Heaven will permit this dread
full tragedy to be enacted. Farewell, father
if l save you not, we will both be buried
in the same grave"
From the prison Luke few to the presence
of his patron He found him pacing the
library from end to end.
'' Sir Robert" he cried, am come from
the prison"
"Ahl"
g Aye. strand in the person of the pri-
soner who is sentenced TO die tomorrow,
have found father"
$50, he confessed them
"What-you knew the fact and conceal
ed it,"
g was pledged not to reveal it."
But this is not all. Sir Robert, am
satisfied that my father is innocent. Now,
sir, ] iTplore you to save him"
| cannot do so, Luke, replied Sir Robert
" though l share your convictions. / have
essayed it. | went to the jailor with untold
gold in my hands. ! had arranged for your
fathers fight beyond the seas. ! would
have given the half-ay, all my fortune, to
secure his fight and liberty. The attempt
faiied-the bribe was spurned. Now. no
thing can save him"
Yes, Sir Robert-there is one way 70
srve hiai. Produce the murderer"
a. Ha if that were possible !" cried Sir
Robert. wildly. True. true! l never
thought of that. You speak like an oracle.
What hour is it,"
at is one o'clock-my father dies at one
to morrow" said the wretched young man
bursting into tears.
alt Is twenty miles to London: one can
ride forty miles and have time to spare with
in that time Gray Selim is feet as the
wind. Look to my pistols. Ones life is
not always safe in this favored land. Muir
der stalks in the highway as we both know,
Luke"
The young man was astonished at the agi-
tation evinced by his patron. The latter
handed him letter.
Tomorrow at twelve O'clock, noon, give
this to Miss Freeland. 1t is formal renun-
citation of her hand. She loves another,
have discovered one worthier of of her
and she only accepted me because she be-
lieve- my rival indifferent to her. But why
do l speak of love-and death sentence
hanging over your fathers head. Dear Luke,
farewell. Believe me, will save your father,
or die in the attempt"
Shall LEI the man gos' thought Luke.
But vile he delibcrated, Sir Robert snatch
ing up his pistols, ran wD stairs, and the
next moment he was dashing away through
the dark night, at the full speed OF his blood
ed horse
High against the serene blue sky OF a sum
mer morning, rose that fatal tree, barkless
and lesiisss, whose frGit is death. At the
foot of the scaffold rolled the waves of a
vast ultitude, gathered to witness with Gu
rious eyes the death struggle OF fellow
being. Sad to relate, there were women
with their babes in the surging tide Of life,
over whom the passing shadow OF death
would soon be flung Bearing back the
hrong, troop of horse, their polished he'll
NETS and sharp sabres glittering in the sun
light, curvetted and prauced beneath the gal
ows. On the platform stood the sheriff and
bis attendants, and the prisoner with the IA.
al rope around his neck and the handker-
chief in his right hand.
Zone moment longer.' cried Luke cling
ng in desperation to the arm of the dread
minister of the law cone moment longer,
oy your hopes of Heavenl Look there,
see you that cloud of dusts 1t is a horse
nan riding hither at the top of his speed
He waves paper in his hand 1t is Sir
Robert Ashland with the reprieve! JOY.
oy, father. You are saved"
" "Reprieyed, not pardoned." said the
heritf, as he lifted the cap from the deadly
yale face Of Farmer Horton, and allowed
i'm to look once more upon the light Of day.
Tn the meanwhile Sir Robert had dis
mounted from his reeking steed, and ascend
ng the ladder, stood beside the sheriff, and
handed him the document that suspended
he execution of the sentence. He was paier
Ian the prisoner, and leaden semi-circles
ave a preternatural effect to his sunken
lack eyes.
Luke said he, 81 have kept my word.
1orton-you are free man."
But how did you obtain the respite, Sir
Robert: :" asked the sheriff
by swearing that had discovered clue
o the commission of the murder-by pledg-
ng my word that the assassin should die
ipon the scaffold."
But who is he? Where is he" asked
he sheriff.
"He stands before you I" cried Sir Robert
Ashland. . =
"You are mad I" said the sheriff.
81 am not mad, replied the baronet.-
I to your hands l surrender myself, and |
ommand you to take me into custody. 1t
ril not be for long, though. Hear me. On |
hat fatal night, burning with the injury and |
hame had received, followed in the path |
f my enemy. had no weapon, but by |
hance stumbled on the horn-handled knife |
hat Farmer Horton had lost. The tempta- |
ion was not thrown away on me. As l
lutched the weapon, l hugged the thought !
f revenge to my heart. Ispurred my horse |
fter the retiring foe. / overlook him at
he cross road seized him in his saddle,
tabled HIM to the heart, and hurled him to |
he ground. His horse galloped home rider |
,ss. made wide circuit and fell in with |
party returning through the wood from the |
ilage. The rest is known-how Horton, |
y a sad chance, came upon the body and |
his knife-how we surprised him |
a the very act-as all exclaimed. You know |
is trial and his sentence-but you know
ot the pangs of conscience, the agonies Of
emorse, the imperious demands of pride
nd honor, that haYe contended in my bo-
ON since the fatal night. 1t is over now /
he confession is made. My own lips have
lasted name that came down to me from
he Conquest unsullied by dishonor. Luck
v it dies with me-for am the last of my
ace."
Luke wrung his hands as he listened to
his mournful tale.
"My benefactor," he cried. "would that
might die for you'll"
"a -, 20 he hannv said fhe haronet