The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-29
SHREWSBURY"
BY STANLEY j. wEYMAN.
CHAPTER

ealmness q death that IL known to be inevitable,
and quite another and far more difficult thing to
assume tho same brow whore hope and n chance
remain. ! am not greatly ashamed. therefore.
that In q crisis which amply justified all tho
horror and repugnance which mortals feel at
the prospect OF sudden and violent dissolution. 1
fell below the heroic standard, and said and did
things, rrites fnpdr dchiHi.
Nevertheless 1t Ia with no good will ! dwell on
the matter: in writing. as In life. there are de-
cancies and indecencies; things to to be told and
others to be implied. Let few words then suffice.
alike for the moment when Charnock, holding
back the others. wrunR from me, half swooning
as / was, tho admission that l had been to Ken
~ninRton. and that the sentry was not mistaken;
and for those minutes OF frenzied terror which
followed. when screaming and struggling In
their grasp. now trying to fling mysolfdown and
now ahriokinG prayers for mercy. I was dragged
to q spot below the hook. and held there
by relentless fingers while q rope was
being fetched from tho next room. 1 had
no vision, as 1 have read some have.
Of tho things done in my life. but tho
set dark faces that hemmed me in un-
der tho light, the grim looks Of ono, and tho
scared pallor Of another. even Ferguson's
hideous visaee as ho lowered in the background.
biting his nails between terror and exulta-
tfon-all these, even enlarged and multiplied. I
!" Nss - bN& - oNS.bSo
Of vision that Of itself was torture.
30. Godi" cried. 20, Godl' I felt that I
could leap out Of myself with terror-with
terror Of what was TO come, yet from man I
could see no help.
"Aye, man. pray" said Charnock inoxorably.
ePray, for you must die. We will give you
one minute. Hero comes tho rope. Who will
fasten If"
"a fool" cried q hard. gliding voice, from
~-----A.~. h.-1.A A. .t~,ln sNa Atln,
started oonvulsively. had forgotten the
girls presence. 30 doubtless had tho con.
opirators, for at the sound they turned quickly
toward her, and. the ring Of men opening out in
the movement, she became visible to me. She
stood confronting all, daring all. Her lips red.
face white a. paper. hor eyes glittering with a
strange, wild lerceness. Long afterward she
told mo that tho sound Of my shrieks and cries
ffnging In her ears had been almost moro than
she could bear; that a. scream arose on scream
she had driven tho nails into her palms until
her hands bled. and DO. and go only. had been
able to restrain herself, knowing we'll that IL
phe would intervene to tho purpose her time was
not yet
Now that Il had como, nothing could exceed
tho mockery and scorn that rang in her tone.
ga fool" she cried stridently. has fetched I'll
and sfool will fasten I'll And let who hang,
they will hang. And two of you. aye, you at
the back there, will hang them. Why. you are
fools. you are all fools, or you would take care
that every man among you put his hand to tho
Sob. and was as deep az another. Or, II you like
precedence. and It Is a question Of fastening
for the man who fetched. he is AZ good as dead
already-let tho hand that wove the moose tie
I'll Let that man tie i'll" And with pitiless finger
nhe pointed to tho old plotter, who. sneaking and
Bringing In tho background, had already his eye
on the door and his mind on retreat. l. him
tie it, abe repeated.
"You sluti'' he roared. his eyes squirting. his
face nvid with fury. "Your tongue shall DO
Blit. To your garrett. vixen"
But the others, a. was not unnatural. saw the
matter in o different light. by the wench
IL righti' cried Cassel. and Reyes saying the
same, and another backing him. there was q
general chorus of AYE. the girl Is right. The
girl is right" At that the man who had
brought the rope threw 1t down. There's
for me-" he said %gloomily. and with an ugly
CLEAN in his eyes. LET the old devil takeit up.
Its his job. not mine. and i'll swing he shall
swing. too"
"Fair!' cried all. .That is fair!" And
''That is fair, Mr.. Ferguson said Charnock.
"Do you put the rope round his neck -
"If Ferguson spluttered, glazing from under
his wig.
Yes. your the man who had brought tho
rope retorted with violence. "Youl And why
not, I'd like TO know. my gentlemani
II am no %hanRman." cried the plotter with q
miserable assumption Of dignity.
But the words and the evasion only infamed
the general rage. And are we T. Cassel roared,
with a volley Of oaths. You covenant.nr,
psalm-singing, tub-thumping old quill driver"
he continued. "Do you think that we are here
to do your dirty work and squeeze throats at
your biddingl Pestei For a gill of hollands I
would split your tongue for you. That and
your pen have done too much harm already"
Peace" Charnook said. go softly, man.
And do you. Mr.. Ferguson. take up tho rope and
DO yoar part: othsEwise we shall have strange
before, and # were well you gave no color to
! cannot believe that even I, writhing as a
few minutes before I had writhed in their hands,
have si pfeaented anu more Ssesi pitia be spy a ! e tSan
Ferguson exhibited. thus brought to book. All
ardly nature. brought to the surface by the
challenge thus flung in his face. he 9uailed and
S Snd Srsat SsiHFi hs sns RR s glanced nnadi s ssRansss. his as, feet Ct
port him. or who could most easily be persuaded.
Tho mon. savage and ill.disposed. to begin. and
driven to the wall to boot, had now conceived
conduct diverted their rage from me. turned it
on HIN With IL t@ SBrow cdoE f sf fbS MI .. or,.d K.v..
who seemed e be a trooper and a man Of no ed.
ucation. lacking even the occasional French
with King Louis. "D-himi He would have
Sima. sIEF th H. T Is no H Tst Sop i.n. Tax & z a MsiI, p Z b MIN
no nan either. unless put a hand on him"
A mnrmur Of assent, stern and full of mean.
ing. echoed his words. mi. Ferguson" said
Cbarnock. with grave poli.eness, you hear
what this gentleman saysi And, mind you, II
you ask me. he has reason. A few minutes ago
you were forward with us to hang this person.
And among gentlemen to urge another to do
what You will not do yourself lays you open to
comment. II. may even be pretended that, II
your rogue informed. you werc not so ignorant
Of the fact as you would have us believe YOU"
1t was wonderful to SEQ how the men, sore and
desDerate. caught at that notion; and with what
greedy ferocity they turned on tho knave who
only a few moments before had swayed their
RHssl0ns 10 nus WIN. II was 70 no purpose that
palsy. str1ye frantically TO hnrl back the accu:
patton. His wontod profanity seemed to fall
him on this occasion, While tho violence which
had dauntod mon OF saner temperments proved
NO match for Cassers brutality, who, breaking
IN on him before he had stamniered a score OF
words. called him liar and sneak, and. denounc-
ing him with outstretched finger, was in the act
tohound his comrades on him, when sometime