New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-12-25

H1cUo m VSo 6EueP OF vW0 Uo1O1okUS Uo4OEO
he could recover himself o. seiss his old
fnt4ock, McGregor whitehurt was
also prisoner in the hands Of the British.
ITO the guardhouse with them r. shouted
Mr.. Bruin. "They are SPIES, and shall die
the death" he added, shAki.g poor Edith
roughly, ''unless Christmas morning secs
you my bride. So Jon thought to escape
me, you jade, and have only been playing
with me, while You cent word to your lover
aad brother to come and carry you off; bat
they shau all pay dearly.for it, unless this
hand redeems them"
Mrs. Whitehurst set alone In her parlor.
"What can keep Edith out 60 Late" she
murMued, lit Is very cold and dark. My
poor child, what will she dor
As the good old lady spoke, the door was
burst open, and Edith, pale and trembling,
rushed in. and throwing hereof ON her
knees before her mother, sh1ioacd:
"oh, pothari I thought to savo US all,
sAd lave lest them. I sent them letter
telling them of our troubles; they came
here to carry US OF, a1a he has arrested
them ss spies"
"Whss WheF' questioned Mrs. White
hurst.
Edward and EcGregar. But do not
fear. mother; they shall not be Lost. I will
marry him. and, when they arc safe, kill
myself. Yes, my bridal bed shall be the
grave"
30 the poor CT! raved through that long
night
Early tie next morning, Edith and her
mother went up to the Judges house to try
and move him to compassion. Az they en-
tered his hall, oae of his servants, foster
brother Of Edward Nortimers, met them,
and whispered to Edith, Mako no rash
promises, mise; put him off; give me three
days end viii save them"
Mr.. Bruin was remcrseless. "Nc, Edith"
he answered to her pleadings. "unless you
swear 70 marry ne on Christmas day they
shall be tried and condemned; this day Is the
twenty first of December; and on the
tventy-fourth they shsA die. Perhaps,
proud girl, when you hear that they are con-
demned you may change your mind. It is
them the three days respite you ask for.
You and yotlr mother, girl, shall eat your
ChristEias diAaer in the street. unless you
prefer te take it at the foot Of the gallows,
in company with your precious relatives;
for they. shall not be shot, they shall be
hanged, and their bod;esoefs as warning to
rebel sympathizers. Ihave full authority,
and shall use it, unless" and he laughed
and looked at Edith with hideous leer.
Unfortunately for the prisoners. accident
had given Er. Bruin the means Of fulfilling
at least portion Of his threat. Tho two
young men were tried that very morning.
Mr.. Bruin appeared against them. and told
long story of a conversation that he pre-
! tended tc hare overheard. in which fact and
fiction were SO mixed up that the prisoners
themselves would have found it difficult to
sift it. The fact that they had been found
within British lines would have been, OF
itself, enough to have caused their arrest;
exaggerated by NJ. Bruins malice, it
brought about their condemnation.
His mornings work completed to his
satisfaction, the rich man went home and
ate his dinner with = sense of inward de-
Light at his success that was edifying.
Dinner over. he sat in his comfortable arm-
chair, and thought; "Well,' he said. "once
those two fellows are out Of the way. am
sure Of the castle. Owning it. when this
little matter is blown over, will give me q
position in the town. But shall ever be
- L. I.
ter to pull it dowa: He had uttered his
thoughts aloud, and Is he spoke his last
thought, ne heard distinct, though
smothered groan. Re started, and looked
around. GLOW foolish am" he continued,
Though they do say thu place is haunted,
and have heard strange sounds there. l
wonder if that old fool, Arnt Oliver. does
watch over her treasuress May BIO if RAE
the old place to the ground. l shall find
tl.cm" Again Mr. Bruia heard a groan.
"Pshaw" he said. looking around uneasily,
~ won't think OF these things any more,
but will take my nap;7 and the rich man
stretched himself ont comfortably before
the fire, and closed Lis eyes. His sleep was
not peaceful one.
BE suddenly found himself in the midst
Of large, excited crowd, which hurried him
olong in spite Of his efforts, toward the jail
yard. All at once he saw before him the
two unfortunate young men, hoGregor
Whitehurst and Edward Mortimer, their
hands were tied behind them, and their
shirt collars were turned down. They were
hosr ha1 <ho Col hvt
men in pricstly robes, whose faces he could
not see despite his efforts, but whose heads
he recognized as strangely resembling his
own, as he daily saw it reflected from one to
the other of the two parlor mirrors.
At length tho prisoners stood erect ON the
seaffcld, and looked proudly over tho as
sembled multitude. Suddenly their eyes
met his, the ropes which had tied them fell
off, and raising their arms with one accord
they pointed ct him. saying; "There is our
murderer; we are innocent" Immediately
q fearful clanor arose around him, the
crowd uttered dreadful curses, he tried to
fec, his feet were glued to the ground; he
tried to close his eyes, they were kept open
by some invisible and irresistible power.
The next instant the two mems bodies we're
swinging i'll the air; it was either he, or his
doubles, who had been supporting them. that
had knocked the scaffold from under their
fect. They had on no caps, and he could
see their convulsed limbs, staring eyes and
agonized faces. He awoke With q shout
bathcd in cold sweat; rs he opened his eyes,
huge black cat, just such one as he had
L