Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-11-20
THE LAST CONFESSION.
By HALL GAME,
Author sapegoat "Th= Bondman "The Deemster &c


II NOHtlnueQ from Yesterdays ISsue.)
y In an open alcove of the Castle l
found two men in stainless blue jellabs
and spotless white turbans on rush mats
at either foot of the horseshoe arch.
These were the judges, the Kadi and
his Khaleefa, sitting in session in the
hall of justice.
There was tumult of many voices
and of hurrying feet, and presently the
police entered holding their prisoner
between them, and followed by vast
concourse of townspeople. 1 held my
ground in front of the alcove, the Ber-
Der was brought up near to my side,
and l saw and heard all.
This man." said one of the police,
KILLED SO and so of Sidi Calls Saints
House"
s'When?" said the Kadi.
This moment" said the police.
"How?' said the Kad..
with this knife" said the police.
The knife, stained and still wet, was
handed to the judge. He shook it, and
asked the prisoner one question:
''Why?"
Then the Berber flung himself on bis
knees-his bald head brushed my
hand-and began to plead extenuating
circumstances 1T is true, my lord,
killed him, but he called me dog, and
infidel, and spat at me"
The Kadi gave back the knife and
waved his hand take him away" he
said
That was all, as my guide interpreted
it. Come" he whispered agin, and he
led me by passage into a sort OF
closet where man lay on mattress
This was the porch to the prison, and
the on the mattress was the jailor. In
one wall there was low door, barred
and clamped with iron, and having q
round peepho,e grated across.
At the rfext instant the police brought
in their prisoner. The jailor ratified q
big key in the lock, the low door swung
open, I saw within a dark den full OF
ghostly figures dragging chains at the
ankles, a foul stencil came out OF 1t
the prisoner bent his head and was
pushed in. the door slammed back
and that was the end. Everything oc
CURED in no more time than it takes
to tell it.
us that all his trial?" I asked.
"All" said my guide.
Glow long will he lie there?'
Until DEATH"
s'But,' l said, "I have heard that {
Kadi of your country may be bribed Il
liberate g. murderer"
eAh my lord is right" said my guide
"but not the murderer OF a Saint.
Less than five minutes before | hat
seen the stalwart young Berber swag
gering down the hillside in the after
noon sunshine Now he was in thu
gloom of the noisome dungeon, will
no hope of ever again looking upon TIL
light of day, doomed to drag out an ex
istence worse than death, and all TO
what? For taking life? No, no, no
life IN that land is cheap, cheaper thai
it ever was in the middle ages-but 70
doing dishonor to superstition to tn
defed at tRft88 'signt OF TINS sum may gus
tice. Next morning, as my tentmel
and muleteers were making ready to Sc
out for Fee, my soldier guide brough
me a letter which had come by thu
French steamer via Malaga. 1t wa'
from home-a brief note from my wife
with no explanation of her prolonged
silence merely saying that all was a!
usual at Wimpole street, and not men
tioning our boy at al The ON 'ssior
troubled me, the brevity and baldnes!
Of the message filled me with vague
concern, and I had half a mind to de-
lay my inland journey Would that
had done so! Would that | had! o
would that had!