, 1875-07-04
'easiest death to die. The subject vss f,e.l- 4.

city and the beautiful, worl-famous hav
was near midnight when two st1ansers ~. ~
shown into him. who requested his immeF..s.
attendance IN q case Of great urgency. Hs NV
resented that he Was there On = Wat Of Mp
nre, not for professional purposes. They rs-s
perfactlY aVare Qf thai tact, they said esil ~
urged him 80 strongly that at last they oyercsm9
his seruples. and he consented to 20 With th*~s
4 carriage Was at the doot he e.: in drst ~.
followed him, pulled down the blinds snt M
carriage EAttleti sway. he did not like bis ~
tlon, and began to suspect that al Was NOT rost
They kept utter silence. 74"
. They seemed to drive gteat distaucs, tu,,,.
aud turning many times. Once he innniTsTS
Had thsy Tar to gq?" and received the h,;...
answer, No" At list they drove into tn, tas
as it by magic. There were no lights; he 1;rSs St
a. we'll have been blindfoded; tha1e would hsta
been total darkness but Tor the moonhs.,t.ss
which struggled through the stained 1,4.s
window, aud fell in fantastic shsdoHs i IT,.
feet as they ascended the wide stone staircsss4
On reaching the first landing they throw opsn !.
door aud for SECOND he was almost -ta1ndsd i,
the hlaze Of LIGHT that asreeIaai out upon hn9
The door closed behind hin =s ha stepped n.a
tue room. He took in the whole aspect Of n.
room at . glance; It was gorgeousiy furnishI
and brilliantly illuminated with wax c.adles :.
a table near the heavily y-cmtMne1 wlndov xnss
Of stern. commanding. appearance sat wtisins'
IN
to the far end Of the room, exclaimed:
'..fopr patient lies there, sir
Ny g1audfataer's eyes followed ths dIresHc.
of his finger, and observed woman stietsSs5
qpop couch. Where tsd ha peep that fseabs..
fore? Slowly it da"ned upon his nemo.y. i
few days back he had been to the theatre nd
glancing round, was struck By beautiful Il,
face, which for the time fascinated him: h.
thought it tho loyeliess there, He looked op,s
again now but how changed The bands We,
clasped upon the breast, as though IN u1aye1:.
dumb, white terror VAS written GA the Ysea :'sa3
in the great uphfted eyes there Fas hopehp
despairin5 agony sickening to LehoId-
:. He inquired what wzs the matter-hos ii.
had been attacked and, seeing that shs Nv
gagged, he begged them to releaae her oonlS
that ehe might answer his questions, adding
u must know something OF thesynpsons b.
| fore can attempt cure."
Yong bqsiness hero ip to kill nos p CUT,
| Doctor" SAID one IN strangely sad tone, vh.ch .
| accorded ill with his stern fearful pht.sa
'Youp patient has spoken her last word 10 tta
! world. She Is doomed to die by secret thnna@
strictly iuHt tribunal, bus we would temper ieE
| tice with mercy and spare her the shama id
| public disgrace. You can cause her to de ess|y
anu secretly; therefore We have brought ~
| here"
''1f this lady has committed any crime .
| great as to deserve death" he answered, full i
| compassion for the unfortunate, "sho nr.s
meet her puuiahmsnt from the hands Of tho pub
t Lie executioner, not py mine"
BY yours, and yours only" said one ot hs
| conductors. grayely. "Thara is no time to 4aaa
| in msre words. She knows she has deseyn
| death, and she knoTs that she must de-"
tsGod forbid!" exclaimed the rhysioiaa,
frozen horror stealing over him. The omlnou
stiffness, the grim aspects Of the terrible men
| struck chill to his heart. He realized al she
horror Of his position. +;
] ira pn{u xv1fhsr7t hfn &raf
Piled the stranger aud as he spo4e be turned tas
| lace back from the tender throat, and, pointing
| to it, added significantly. "0peq the jug1a,
vein; 1t is the easiest and quickest way to die"
My grandfather started back Amazed aad bos+
| 1or-s.r,lck. These we1a the very vorda be AI
uttered during ono OF those pleaaaat SatharinSs
! 1t the house Of q celebrated Neapolitsn b TN
| days back
"HoH darn you propose to me- such uinar
| he exclaimed. ~ am an Eng1ishmAn, aqd siQ
| not commit murder"
"Pahaw! your nation produces rs rnany ho.
| ornble criminals as any other. To your wozt,
| SIR, and quicKl~. II you have couscieutmu
gcrupIes, remember an enforced ein liss lshay
on my conscience lay that comfort to yout
| soul. No more wo1ds," he added perenptolF
not one thus ID tbs time for action"
"Irefuse to obey your cruel command. La
! me CO."
The man who h.6 been writing, and until nov
| dHO {AHEQ 10 pAIE 7%ARkCtC4 LII +AlV 61GAp %&Af
| was passing round him. then rose up 4nt la14&
the group. Laying his hand lightly On myqzo4
fathar'a shoulder, he said
'sTbera is 10 eseapo for you, Doctor; eyss5
moment you hesitate you prolone thar womani
pain. she must die; and you can dispatch hst
with painless Epeed"
Whist If rfefuse9 You cannot force rna0
commit 70 foul murder"
He pointed to two swarthy figures (eithst sde
diers or liverfed ser7aDt9 OF somo nubio famif-.
nv grandfather could not tell which, 1ho a4
been standing mo.it'nlesa BY the couch, and g: e
Then these faithful fellows will dispst.a
you, and afterwards diapatch her; they arrA
professional, and their work will b. cta1aat,
done. II the operation be not performed upE
your patient hofose the oiock strikes, yOu tpes
YOUR fata il you are ohdurate. remember yvs
throw away your Own lfo without saving hsla
She is doomed no power On earth can NJ
her," e.
It was vain to speak or sxpostulata with thde
fieuds in human form. He felt they we1a u
stern aud inexotab1a nj fato- It was an cruak y
horrible and coHardly. FIya man aeaen'hled =
wtuess tho professional snurler Of young ~
beautiful woman! What had sho dome? whom
had she offended? Some secret machinery VII
At work; these men we're mera ina:znmhnsa
tho hands Of higher power-thcy had owueen
much they had no personal interest u tho nst-
tet. They were there to carry out justice, tas{
eaia-aecratly, it was true but the woman hm
been lawfully condemned, and the sentence e
the Law must be privately executed:
Tbs wonaap's eyes were liked upon hs4
throughout the whole Of this conversation aoa
travelled from one face to the other i'll bo2eleas
agony rot word passed her ears, and ocl1 1he
one despai1ing, changalesa expression sat .ixa
zeal uron her face. She knew there "as no u
cape for hcr--none. There was only the ona
uuestion 70 be solved Waa she to die ~ ~
IN willing baud Of plying stranger, Or BE- ate9
cruelty by professional murderersf "nat
world Of terror muss have been compassea
ing aud waiting thetc!
The clock began to chims the quarters; u Ha
about 10 strike. At \ given signul the sttt.s..
like figure stapped forward and rapidly uncotIeo
ropa with 4 noos. already marie; tbos sae
about to slip 1t ovor his Eead and hang him %
beam which ran along tho cc1-zs Of tue ceitns
The Lorror OF facing sudden and violent ".
seized him,-hlB death vonln avail hor nosnnf
for whom he died His senses were III En3't
be threw up his bands and Hprang forward *
"I'n do itl' ha exclaimed, and foil o. aa.l ~
cannot save you, cki1d; but can shield ~
from their rough, c1usl hands. and put .ou ~.
lessly to rest forrive me! forgive nes t@e
is in mercy to you do this cruel deed tz
The white hand went out to him And chesa
over his in soft, forgiying clasp tho asua!
died cut pf the sweet eyes ~ they rested "
moment on His face: thea with low s1gn sa'
closed them and turned awav her head = ~
other moment her young lite Was sbb:ng aIeS9
away. He remained BY her side holding r. FL
hand in bis End Watching till al wa o'ef. =
would not for secood Leave her with toosa ss1a