Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-12-28
THE HOUR AND THE MAN.
A Tale of Revenge.


er before him.
''You have heard" he said, ''what is al
legged against you. Have you anything in
your defenCe"'
The captured brigand laughed.
"Ihe time for talk is past he cried.
"This has been fine farce of fair trial.
You need not have wasted so much time
over what you call evidence. l knew my
doom when fell into your hands. l kill
ed your brother, you will kill me. You
have proven that | am a muir lerer and a
robber l could prove the same of you if
you were bound hand and foot in my camp
as l am bound in your castle. It's useless
for me to tell you that | did not know he
was your brother, else it would not have
happened. for the small robber always re-
spects the larger and more powerful thief
When a wolf is down the other wolves de-
vour him. | am down. and you will have
my head cut off or my body drawn asunder
in your courtyard. whichever pleases your
EXCellency best 1t is the fortune of war,
and do not complain. When l say that
l am sorry | killed your brother l merely
mean | am sorry you were not the man
who stood in his shoes when the shot was
fired. You, having more men than had,
have scattered my followers and captured
me. You may do with me what you
please. My consolation is that the killing
of me will not bring to life the man who is
shot; therefore conclude the farce that has
dragged through so many weary hours.
Pronounce my sentence. | am ready
There was a moments silence after the
brigand had ceased speaking. Then the
prince said in low tones, but in voice
that made itself heard in every part of the
judgment hall:
Your sentence is that on the 10Th of
January you shall be taken from your cell
at o'clock, conducted to the room of ex-
ecution, and there beheaded,
The prince hesitated for a moment as he
concluded the sentence, and seemed about
to add something more, but apparently he
remembered that a report of the trial was
to go before the king, whose representative
was present, and he was DESTROYS that
nothing should 60 on the records which sa-
vored OF old-time malignity; for it was
well known that his Majesty had partic-
ular aversion TO the old forms of torture
that had obtained heretofore in his king
dom. Recollecting this, the prince sat
down.
The brigand laughed again. His sentence
was evidently not so grewsome as he had
expected. He was man who had lived
all his life in the mountains, and he had
no means of knowing that more merciful
measures had been introduced into the pol
icy of the government
Il will keep the appointment" he said.
unless have more pressing engage
ment."
The brigand was led away to his cell. Il
hope said the prince that you noted
the defiant attitude of the prisoner"
81 have not failed to do so, your Excel
lency," replied the ambassador.
81 think, said the prince, "that his
treatment has been most merciful."
q am certain, your EXcellency," said
the ambassador, that his Majesty will be
OF the same opinion. For such mis-
creant beheading is too easy a death"
The prince was pleased to know that the
opinion of the ambassador conceded so
entirely with his own.
The brigand Toza was taken TO a cell in
the northern tower, where, by climbing on
bench, he could get a view of the pro-
found valley, at the mouth of which the
castle was situated. He well knew its i'm
pregnable position, commanding, as it did
the entrance to the valley. He knew also
that if he succeeded in escaping from the
castle, he was hemmed in bv mountains
practically unscalabe, while the mouth of
the gorge was so well guarded by the castle
that it was impossible TO get to the outer
world through that gateway. Although he
knew the mountains well he realized that,
with his band scattered, many killed and
the Others fugitives he would have bet !
ter chance of starving to death in the val |
ley than of escaping out of it. He sat on
the bench and thought over the situation.
Why had the prince been so merciful? He |
had expected torture, whereas he was TO /
meet the easiest death that a man could |
die He felt satisfied there was something |
IN this he could not understand. Perhaps |
they intended to starve him TO death. now |
that the appearance of a fair trial was
over. Things could be done in the dun |
geon of castle that the outside world |
knew nothing of. His fears of starvation
were speedily put to an end by the appear
ance OF his jailer with better meal than .
he had had for some time, for during the /
last week he had wandered fugitive in
the mountains until captured by the
princes men, who evidently had orders to
bring him in alive. Why then were they
so anxious not to kill him in fair fight if .
he were now to be merely beheaded?
"What is your name?n asked Toza.
81 am called Paulo," was the answer
''DO you know that am to be beheaded
on the fifteenth of the month";"
VI have heard so, answered the man.
And do you attend me until that time9"
Il attend you while / am ordered to do
so. If you talk much l may be replaced"
THAT, then, is a tip for silence, good
Paulo," said the brigand. Il always
treat well those who serve me well: re-
greet, therefore, that have no money with
me, and so cannot recompense you for
good service"
THAT is not necessary" answered
Paulo, 81 receive my recompense from the
steward"
''Ah, but the recompense of the steward
and the recompense of brigand chief are
two very different things. Are there so
many pickings in your position that you
are rich, Paulo?"
"No, am poor man"
"Well, under certain circumstances l
could make you rich"
Paulos eyes glistened but he made no
direct reply. Finally ne said in a frighten-
ened whisper: 81 have tarried too long; /
am watched. By and by the vigilance will
be relaxed, and then we may perhaps talk
of riches"
With that the jailer took his departure.
The brigand laughed softly to himself. 1