Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1893-11-02

u
the clouds rushed from the sea; sud
den gusts of wind mooned through
the streets, accompanied by heavy
drops of rain, and the face of the
Tweed was troubled.
"llcaven help thee If thou iutendest
to travel lar in such a night as thisl'
said the sentinel at the English gate,
as the traveller passed him to cross the
bridge.
In few minutes he was upon the
wide and dcsolate moor of Tweed
mouth; which for miles presented
desert of furze. fern, and stunned
heath, with here and there a copse of
thick brushwood lie slowly toiled
over the steep hill, Drawing the storm,
which now ragged with the widest
fury. The rain fell in torrents, and
the wind howled like a legion of fam
ished wolves, hurting its doleful echoes
over the heath Still the stranger
pushed onward, until two or three
miles from Berwick, when, as If una
BILE to longer brave the storm, he
sought shelter amidst some bushes by
the waysidc. Nearly an hour had
passed since he sought this imperfect
refuge, and the darkness of the night
and the storm had increased together,
when the sound of a horses feet was
heard hurriedly FLASHING along the
road. The rider bent his head to the
blast. Suddenly his horse was
grasped by the bride; the rider raised
his head, aud the stranger stood be
fore him holding pistol to his
breast "Dismouut" cried the
stranger sternlv.
The horsemau, bcnumbed and fear
stricken made an effort to reach his
arms; but instantly the hand of the
robber, quitting the bride, grasped
the breast of the rider and dragged
him to the ground He fell heavily
on his face, and for several minutes
was senseless The stranger seized
the leather bag which contained the
mail for the north, and hinging it
across his shoulder, rushed across the
heath
Early on the following morning the
inhabitants of Berwick were seen
hurrying in groups to the spot where
the robbery had been committed, but
no trace Of the robber could be oh.
tanned.
Three days had passed and Sir John
Cochrane still lived. The m il which
contained his death warrant had been
robbed and before another order for
his execution could be given, the in
tercession of his father, the earl of
Dundonald, with the kings CON
fessor, might be successful.
Grizel now became the almost
constant companion of her father
Nearly fortnight had passed
since the robbery of the mail, and
protracted houe in the bosom of the
Ii l., -
first despair. But even that hope,
tercession of his father had been
unsuccessful; and second King James
signed the death warrant. Within
little more than another day that
warrant would reach the prison,
"The win of Heaven be donel'
| grQaned the captive
/ -"Amen" respouGed Gri2el with wild
vehemenee yet my father shall not
die
! Again the rider with the mail had
reaGted the moor of Tweedmouth,
and a second time he bore with him
the doom of Sir John Cochrane. He
| spurred his horse to its utmost speed
he looked cautiously before, behind,
and around, and in his right hand he
carried pistol ready to defend him
self The moon shed Shc,tly light
across the heath. lie turned the
angle of struggling corpse when his
morse reared at the report of pistol,
( the fire of which seemed to flash in its
very eyes. At the same moment
his own pistol went Off and,
his horse again rearing, he
was thrown from the saddle
Z l.. a.
upon the breast of the messenger, was
bending over him and brandishing a
short dagger, saying
Give me thine arms, or diel'
The heart of the kings servant
reply, he did us he was commanded
Now go thy way" said the robbel
sternly, but leave me thy horse anC
the mail, lest a worse thing come upor
thee"
The man arose, and returned t.
Berwick, and the robber, mounting
the horse, rode rapidly across TIN
heath.
Preparations were making for tn,
execution of Sir John Cochrane, ant
the officers of the law waited only TO
the arrival of the mail with the sec
ond death-warrant, when the new
arri-ed that the mail had again beef
robbed For yet fourteen days tn
prisoners life would be prolonged
Putting his arms about his daughter
he said, at is good, The hand o
IleavSn is in this'
"Spid l not" replied his child, an,
for the first time she wept, said no
that my father should not die?"
The fourteen days were not pas
when the prison-door flew open, an
the earl of Dundonald rushed to tn
arms of his son, His intercession wit
the eonfessor had been successful, and
after twice signing the warrant TO
the execution of Sir John, the kim
had sealed his pardon.
lie hurried with his father to hi
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