Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-03
PART ".
C1t0pter VIII.

That saying, though a small thing and
| a foolish one brought my state home to
ne and filled me with so gr.sly forebod
| ing of the gibbet that henceforth 1 gave
| my treacherous mistress no more thought
| than she deserved-which was little; but
| became wholly taken up with my own
| fate, and especially the recollection of
| man whom 1 had once seen. pitched and
| hanging in chains, at Much Hadham cross
roads. The horrible spectacle he had be-
come, when ten days dead, grew on my
| mind, until l groveled and sweated in a
green terror, and that not much at the
prospect of death-though this sent me hot
| and cold in the same instant-a5 of the
| harsh rope about my neck, and the sack
| ing bands and the dreadful apparatus and
the grinnine, loathsome thing l must be-
| come.
| Near swooning at the thought. 1 sank
huddled into the chair ard was plucked
| up by the constabie's assistant, who,
| ing my state, came forward. and. though
| naturally coarse fellow, strove to hearten
me, saying that there was always hope I'M
| til the cart moved, and that many a man
| cast for death drinking the kings
| health in the plantations. with an oath or
| two, and III a loud voice.
| On that last Kicker of pride came to
my aid; and trying to meet his eye 1 NUT
| tered that it was not that; that 1 not
| afraid and that at worst 1 should be burn
ed in The hand.
| ITO be sure?'' he said. noddng. ITO be
| sure. 1t is well to be a scholar
1 was athirst. however. to get some fur
| Their assurance from him. and, fixing my
eyes on his face. asked hoarsely: You
| think that it is certain?''
! Certain sure, my Toby" he answered
But l saw that he wnked to his comrade,
| and l heard the latter ask him softly,
! he took his seat again: .Is't so? VIII the
| lad cheat the hangnan?"
| Not he!'' was the reply uttered in a
| whisper, but terror sharpened my ears.
| There was so long a list at the last as
! sizes. and half of them legit. that it was
| given out they would override it this time
and make examples. And 10 to 1 he will
| swing, Benn."
| but is it the law?"
| 1 did not hear the answer for the drum
ming in my ears and the dreadful confu-
| sion in my brain, which were such that 1
| vas not aware of the constables entrance
| or OF anything that happened after that
until l found myself in the road. climbing
| clumsily on pony in the middle of Il
| throng of staring, curious faces. My feet
being secured under the beasts belly--at
which some gave hand, while Others
| stood Off, whispering and looking strangely
| at me-the constable mounted himself. and
| shouting to his wife that he should take
me on to Hartford Jail, and should not be
| Lack until late. led ME out Of the crowd
| Mr.. D. and Mr.. Jenkins bringing up the
! rear. The last | saw of the school, the boys
were hanging out of the window to See m..
| go, and Mrs. d. in the doorway unap-
| eeased by my misery, was shrilly denounc-
| ing me. hands and tongue all going, to a
group of her gossips
| Our road took us past the Rose Inn, and
through great part of the town, but no
| In preston of either remains with me- my
! only recollection being of the sunshine that
| lay over thu country, and of the happiness
| that all creation all living things save
| my doomed self, enjoyed. The bitterness CT
| the thought that yesterday L had been IS
| these. free to move and live and breathe,
| caused great tears to roll down my cheeks:
but my companion, whose thoughts had al
| ready gone forward to the stewards room
| at Sir Winston's, and the entertainment
| they expected there, took little notice OF
me: and less after the porter at the lodge
| told them that there were grand doingS at
| the house, and great company, including
lord. come Unexpectedly from London.
Il don't think you'll be welcome the
porter added, looking curiously at me.
Justices business" the constable re-
| piled, sturdiiy. The king must be served"
| ''Ay. that is what you all say when you've
| something to gain by it!' the porter
| torted.
| All which 1 heard idly, not supposing
| that it meant to me the difference between
| life and death. fortune and misery; l,or
that in the company come Unexpectedly
from London lurked my salvation. If 1
| dwelt On the news at all, it was only as it
might affect me by adding to the shame 1
felt But In that l deceived myself: for
when the ordeal of waiting in the servants
|
have fed me if l could have eaten-was
over, and we were ushered into the parlor
In which Sir Winston. who had newly
| arisen from dinner, would see US, we found
only one gentleman with him.
The two stood at the further end of a
! long. narrow room. in the bay of large
| window. that. open to the ground, permit
ted view of cool sward and yew hedges.
! That they had had companions, now with
drawn. was clear. not only from the length
of the table, which, bestrewn with plates
and glasses and half empty fiagons,
stretched up the room from us to them,
but from two chairs, thrown down in the
hurry Of rising, and six or seven others
thrust back haphazard against the panels
In the side Of the room were four tall,
straight windows that allowed the sunshine
to fail In regular patches on the table, and
these, displaying here a little pool Of SPILL
ed ciaret, and there a broken tobacco pine
the ash still smoldering. gave a touch of
GrtmneSs to the elegant disorder.
The same incongruity was to be OBJ
served In tia appearance Of the elder of
the two man. who had hung his periWig on