The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-06-28
Written for the sunday rrescenti -
BARTRELLE. +.
CHAPTER -xxv1-coNr1SUED.


his own words, as Richard Bartrelle raised him
from the ground, " l am shot all to pieces"
1t was true Death had clutched its victim.
Tenderly raising his fallen enemy from the
field, he had him removed to the quarters he
now occupied, and from that hour forth he
had tended him with unwearied assiduity.
He saw that the wound was mortal-no power
on earth could save him and the brave heart
in his bosom prompted him by every means
in his power to ease his sufferings. Had it
been otherwise, Bartrelle would not have so
readily ministered to his fallen foe. But the
CHASTITY spectacle of that crushed and writhing
form drove from his breast the hostility which
until now he had cherished with vindictive
luminosity.
He had telegraphed his father of his sons
condition, and until he should arrive he de-
termined to devote himself to his care with
unremitting attention. At first young Hayes
received these attentions with suspicion and
distrust; but when he saw how earnest,
watchful and tender Bartrelle was, his con-
science was smitten, and lifting his eyes to
the face of his nurse, he said:
"Bartrelle, 1 have been your bitter aud I'M
relenting enemy, but magnanimity such as
this I never dreamed of; my heart is too
heavy for words-forgive me! 1t is the first
time Warren Hayes ever said as much but,
God knows, 1 wish what is past was undone."
"Don't think of it now, Warren-let
it 60"
"But you forgive me say that you do"
al do sincerely against you now l enter
tain no enmity whatever nothing but kind
ness"
81 thank you, Dick lay my evil deeds up
against me no longer think only of our boy
hood-we were friends then God knows, 1
wish We had always remained so ; but it was
fated not to be had it been, 1 would not
now be tortured by remorse!" came feebly
from the pallid lips.
"Think no more of it, Warren-do not let
it give you any more trouble. do not think
of it at all"
you are very kind to me, Dick-more
than kind, but cannot so easily forgive my
| self"
"Again, let me entreat you, Warren, to let
all thatpass. You are in no condition to dis
cuss these matters now. 1 have said that l
forgive any injury you may have ever done
me or mine, and mean it fully so do not
discompose yourself any further about it.
Now let me apply this cloth to your wound,
and Bartrelle adjusted the cooling cloth to the
shattered hip. As he spoke to Hayes, mild,
clear light shone from his eyes-the light of
peace-and when he addressed him, it was
with softened tone, and his voice vibrated
with strange tenderness hitherto unknown
to that fierce, intractible nature.
But for Warren Hayes, he could not be
| quiet. The awful sense of approaching
\ death was upon him. The heart-rending
pang which accompanied the thought that
this world was no more for him-that he was
leaving it with all his sins upon his head, was
more than he could endure in silence. Now
that this overwhelming sense of mortality
was upon him, he felt that he must
be at peace with the world before
he died, or his accusing conscience
would proclaim lis misdeeds at the
throne on high. For the time then, and
under the pressure of the terrible chill that
was freezing all his faculties, he felt that he
could better trust in mans forgiveness than
in that OF his offended maker. Poor man,
his sins were great, and his awful destiny new
to his thoughts. Brave at the sight of physi-
cal danger, he trembled now-trembled as
his feet trod the crumbling brink of the
great river, and its chilling waves dashed be-
meath him.
Thus the days and nights passed on until
the evening when we introduced them to our
reader. The greatest anxiety of the dying
man was the fear that he would not be able
to see his father and obtain his blessing.
Now, when the world was fading from around
him he knew his worth. He did honor to his
kingly nature, and that hayward heart was
stirred by memories that swelled it almost 10
bursting-memories that swept down the
aisle Of time, picturing his youth, his boy
hood, and the bright promise that ushered in
his mans estate; but bringing with them the
portunities forever wrecked.
cit is almost time they were here, if they
are coming, don't you think so, Dick ?"
''Be patient, yet little while, Warren,
they will GOMEZ"
"Oh hope so, Dick, 1 hope so !" and the
feeble voice had plaintive thrill that made
the heart of his companion stir with emotions
kinder and more thrilling than any he had
yet experienced For it could not be sur.
prising, that, although he had forgiven him
the injuries he had inflicted, he might not
fully sympathize in his sufferings. But his
heart would have been adamant to have with.
stood that sorrowful cry. He bent above
him then, with new light in his eye, and 6
softened tenderness in his touch, as he
smoothed back from the temples the damp
and matted clusters of hair.
His face had grown very thin, but it still
retained the same proud contour of features
the same winning charm of look that had
made Warren Hayes in the days of hi: