The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-08-12
THE HOUR AND THE WAN.
A TALE OF REVENGE.
BY ROBT. BARR.
copyrighted, 1894, by the Author.)
written for The Salt Lake Herald

Written for The Salt Lake HERALD
Prince Lotarno rose slowly to his feet,
casting one malignant glance at the prs
oner before him.
You have heard he said, what is al
leged against you. Have you anything
TO say in your defensee"
The captured brigand laughed.
The time for talk is past" he cried.
''This has been fine farce If .. fair
trial You need rot have wasted SO much
time over what you call evidence. /
knew my doom when / fell into your
hands. 1 killed your brother, you VIII
XIII me. You have proven that 1 am a
murderer and robber; could prove the
same OF you if you were bound hand and
1oot IN my camp as 1 am bound in your
castle. 1t is useless for me to: tell you
mat DID not knew he was your brother,
else It would not have happened, for the
srnaH robber always respects the larger
ana more powerful thief. When a wolf
is down the other wolves devour HIM. ]
am down and you will have my head cut
OIL, or my body drawn asunder in your
courtyard, which ever rleases your excel
1ency best. 1t is the fortune of war. and
am sorry l killed your brother, / merely
mean am sorry you were not the man
VINO 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 whsS
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 a voice
that made itself heard in every part OF
the judgment hall:
Your sentence is that on the 18th of
January you shall be taken from your
cell at 1 o'clock conducted to the room
OF execution and there be beheaded."
Inc prince heSitated for q moment as
ne concluded the sentence, and seemed
about to add something more, but APP
parently he remembered that q report OF
the trial was to go before the king. whose
representative was present. and he was
particularly DESTROYS that nothing should
go on the records which SaVOred of old
time malignity; for it was well known
that his majesty had a particular aver
sion to the old forms of torture that had
obtained heretofore in his kingdom. Rec
olIecting this the prince sat down.
The Origand laughed again. His SEN
tence was evidently not so gruesome as
he had expected. He was a man who
had lived all his life in the mountains,
that more merciful measures had been
introduced in the policy of the govern
ment.
Il win keep the appointment he said
Jauntily, unless I have more pressing
engagement"
The brigand was led away to his cell.
Il hope" said the prince that you noted
the defiant attitude of the prisoner
Il have not failed TO de- so, your eX-
oellency," replied the ambSssa dor
Il think said the prince, that under
the circumstances, his treatment has
been most mercifuI.'
Il am certain your eXcellency," said the
ambassador, that his majesty will be of
the same opinion. For such miscreant,
beheading is too easy a DEATH
The prince was pleased to know that
the opinion of the ambassador conceded
so entire ly with his own.
The brigand Toza was taken to a cell
in the northern tower, where, by climbing
on a bench, he could get a view of the
profound valley, at the mouth of which
thu castle was situated. He we'll knew
its impregnable position, commanding, as
Ii did, the entrance to the valley He
knew also that if he succeeded in escap-
ing from the castle he was hemmed in
by mountains practically unscalable,
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 we'll he realized
led, and the others fugitives, he would
in the valley than of escaping out Of it.
He sat on the bench and thought over
the situation. Why had the prince been