Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-04-09


 Ho seized my other hand and held 1t as though he would protect mo from somo- thing At tho same moment Van Treo pushed past mo, and bounding up tho steps thrust his way through tho officials on tho scaffold, causing moro than ono fur robcd citizen near tho Cdgo to lose his balance and come down as best ho could on the shoulders of the guards.
 What Is it?' cried. What is itP" cried in impatient wonder.
 "Oh, my lad, my lad!" Master Lind strom answered, his face closo to minc and the tears running down his checks. Ut is cruel if it be not truel Cruoll They cry pardonl'
 "A pardon!" echoed
 Aye lad, pardon. But it may not be true" ho said, putting his arm about my shoulder. Do not make too suro of 1t. It is only the mob cry it out
 My heart mado great bound and seemed to stand still. There was a loud surging in my brain, and n mist ruse be fore my eyes and hid everything. Tho ClamOr and shouting of the street passed T away and sounded vague and distant. The next instant, it is true, I was myself again, but my knees were trembling un- der me, and stood flaccid and unnervcd, leaning on my friond
 "Wcll?" 1 said faintly.
 Patience! Patience awhile, ladi' he answered.
 But, thank heaven, had not long to wait. Tho words wCre scarcely of his tongue when another hand sought mino and shook 1t wildly, and I saw Van Trco before mo, his face radiant with joy, while n man whom ho had knocked down in his nasty leap from the scaffold was rising beside mo with good naturod smile. As if at n signal, every faco now turned to- ward mo A dozen friendly hands passed mo up the steps amid fresh outburst of cheering. Tho thrOng on tho scaffold opened somehow, and I found myself in second, it seemed, faco to face with tho president of tho court. He smiled on mo gravcly and kindly-what smiles there Aecmcd to be on all those faces!-and held out n paper.
 Tn tho namo of the dukcl" he said, speaking in Spanish in clear, loud voice. A pardon!'
 muttcrrd something, know not what, nor did it matter, for it was lost in n burst of cheering. When this was over and si- lence obtained, tho magistrate continued: You arc ruquircd, however, to attend the duko at tho courthouse, whithcr wo had better proceed at once. " II am ready, sir, !" l muttcrud. \ road Was made for us to dcScend, and walking in kind of beautiful dream I passed slowly up the street by tho side of tho magistrate, the crowd every whcrc will ingly standing aSido for Us 1 do not | know whether all thuSo thousands of faces really looked jOyfully and kindly on me aS passed or whether the dccp thankful ness which chokcd mo and brought tho tears continually to my oycs trans1igured them and gaNo them a generous charm not their own. But this 1 do know-that tho sunshine seemed brighter and tho air softer than ever beforc; that tho clouds trailing across tho blue cXpanso wcro | things uf beauty such us had mover met bcfurv; that to draw brUath was n joy and to muvo delight, and that only when tho | dark valley was left behind did comprc- hCnd its full gloJm-by heavens mercy. SO may 1t bC with all
 At the door of the courthouse, whithor numbers uf tho p,uplo had already run, tn" prrSS was 5" great that we came to | standstill and Were much buffUtcd about | though in all i;uud humor before, cvcn with tho aid of the soldiers, wc could bo got through tho throng. When at last emerged. 1 found myself again bvforc tho tablo and saw-hut only dimly, for the | light now fell through the stained window | dirVctly on my hcad-a commanding figure l standing behind it. Then a strange thing l happened. \ woman passed swiftly round the table and came tO mo and flung her arms round my neck and kissed me It l waS the duchess, and for a moment shu i'Ing Il; III me, weeping before them all. | Ml,lan. 1 said softly, then it is you l W hu have done thie,''
 l "Ah, sho exclaimed, holding me uff from her and luuking ut mo with eyes which gluwcd through her tears, and it Was you who did that!' l She drew back from Inc then and took mo by the hand and turned impctuously to tho Duke of Cloves who stood behind smiling at hor in frank amusement. This" sho said, lis tho man whc gave his life for nly ..,. :. A.l to whom, your highhess ha- ... .Ii T., X"
 Let him tc.i h~ ., tho duke an. swercd grav"ly, -\r.' you, my cousin sit here beside me. '
 She left me anI ~.,lE .lr.tnd tho table, and he came forward ... .t.,ctd hUr in his own chair amid Il gr.,.L hush of won der, for she was sttll InUanIy clad and showed in hundrrd placus tho marks and stains of travel Then ho stood by her with his hand on tho hack of the seat Ho was tall. burly man, with bold, quick glauCiug eyes, n flushed face and n loud manner-a fierce, bluStoruus prince, as havo heard. Ho was plainly dressed in a leather hunting suit and wore huge gaunt- lets and brown boots, with broad leavcd hat pinned up on one side, yet he looked d prince
 Somehow I stammcrcd out the tale of | the SurrCndCr
 But why, why, why, man." he asked, when I had finished. why did you let them think it was you who wounded the
 burghcr, If it was notY"
 Your highness, answered, II had received nothing but good from her grace, ]
 had eaten her bread and been received into
 her service. Besides it was through my
 persuasion that We came by the road
 which led to this misfortune Instead of by another way. Therefore 1t seemed to mG right that should suffer, who stood alone
 and could be spared, and not her hus
 band"
 It was a great deedp cried the prince loudly. II would 1 had such a servant ! Arc you noble, lad?"
 l colorcd high, but not in pain or nor , tification. The old wound might reopen
 but amid events such as those of thii
 morning it was a slight matter. II come o
 a noble family, may 1t please your high ness" l answered mOdestly, but circum , ] stances prevent me claiming kinship witt
 it.
 , He was about, think, to question m, s | further when the duchess looked up anG I said something to him, and he something to her. She spoke again, and he answered r Then he nodded assent. You would fair
 stand on your own feetf" he cried to me
 "Is that soi''
 Ut is sire" answered. 0 Then so be it, :" he replied loudly, look
 ing round on the throng with 0 frown ! II will ennoble you. You would hav a died for your lord and friend, and there
 fore give you a rood of land in the com
 mon graveyard of Santon to hold of me . and name you Won Santonkirch, and < William, duke of Cleves, Julich and Guel . ders, prince of the empiro, declare yol