Evening star., 1901-11-16

man must die once, and what odds whether
1t now or In ten years time?
"Oh"'e Isabel was overpowered with
the terror of the place. Indeed, it seemed
to her as if death itself, a frightful skele-
ton, with grinning jaws, carrying dart in
his hand, was stalking up and down the
court, sentinel over the prisoners, and that
they saw him plainly, but pretended not to
see, save that now and again their faces
would suddenly become pale and serious,
their ribald voices would become silent, and
a cold and clammy moisture would break
out upon their foreheads-yes, then they
saw him; then they could not choose but
see him. 1T is terrible place-.oh Mrs.
Brymer, take me away. Must we stay
here long?'
Not long. 1 thought you would be
afraid. Why, child, there is nothing here
can hurt you, save the horrid stencil and
reek told the parson we would wait for
him if we wanted him. She spoke to the
turnkey, who grinned.
"Aye-aye!' he said. That is what YOU
want. is 1t? 1 thought so-well-one of
their visitors will run your errand for YOU"
MRS. Brymer wrote a few words on paper
Yes-yes-we all know the parsons Of the
fleet If one won't come, another will,
Theyd marry the devil, and joyfully, for a
guinea. Here, you boy.' he called To one
of the lads, who sat stupidly waiting for
the pot to be finished and taken back to the
Tavern. DO you want to earn shilling?
Run around to the Fleet market. Can YOU
read? Then ask for Parson Gaynham Tell
him to come here at once. If he is engaged
or drunk call another. Come back with a
parson and you shall have the Shilling
' hun ,S,e ye young limb-Ill look after your
POT. lis Truxo, is it? Well, he'll be
hanged next week. A lusty fellow! Pitv
to hang man so strong. There's one who
won't snivel at the last, and he won't blus-
t Ter ana sWagger|1 know his sort. He'll
90 in the cart without smile or word. Looks
like the DEVIL think he yeriIy Ia frst
cousin to the devil"
Mrs Brymer turned to her companion
M chn yaiI .;&
Fleet market. The parson is ALWAYS readv
BEST sit down and recover your spirits ;;
isabel trembled and shook These pigs
canmot camnani nur. you; Pahi The place and the
does II matter If they are all to be hanged
heXI .II, week! A good riddance, truly"
winch Is the MANI" isabel asked, eaz-
ing around her more curiously as she ho
came accustomed to the scene
Madam. does it matter which is tho
man! L have already spoken to him, Re
heve hs,, me- you will have no trouble with
hlm He Is ready and eager Only. madam
entreat you, not word of pitv-if Won
please 1t is your only chance. Remem
per that you must be free, that the fellow
IS a wretch of the deepest dye and that
only meet him this once; Just to 90
through the ceremony with him. Then we
snail come away. The parson Will give
you the marriage certificate. which You
sibly want 1t. Don't trouble about any-
thing else. For the rest, I charge myseif
! will go to Ludgate Hill and inform the
draper that the debt is transferred to one
Adolphus Truxo, now in Newgate: Ven
neeq put to change your lodging for awhile.
as said before, to prevent a visit from
.ne unfortunate man. AS for me. you
must u pay pay me me the whole of your debt to
save the continuance Of YOUR cusfom-
which shall have the right of asking
aater aat an l have done for YOU. There is
not another dressmaker IN London would
nave taken all this trouble out Of pure
kindness" pi
1saDei understood very little of this dis
course. she sat down on the stone bench
a.. at tne END OF the court and lrembled feel
Ing sick and faint and sorry. She could not
keep her thoughts from the man who had
impiored her to pay his bill, nor from the
bankruptcy and the misery brought ,,non
a wnoie family by her own extravagance
ana folly, nor from the ruined home ami
tne loss OF all that makes life happy to
the mother and the wife, nor from the
cruel fate of the children deprived Of their
been well had she understood at the outset
what her extravaganza might mean to
these poor people. And before her this
group OF wretches .nasquerade1 with their
callousness, sodden with drink and main
tanning CHASTITY show CT merriment as If
they were In tavern parlor. Her heart
sank low; had she seen any way of safety
short OF that one way she would have
jumped at the deiivermenr. Alas. she was
constrained to save herself by the ruin nj
the man who had trusted her. by the igno-
BILE and Infamous method of tra9sferr;,,a
her debts to a miserable wretch who was
waiting for execution. She sighed heavily
Under her mask the tears flowed lown her
cheek They were tears Of shame and OF
self-reproach.
Yes" said Mrs. Brymer, watching her
and divining her thoughts, at would have
] looked better to take the lawyer. This
plan IL undoubtedly the safest. The lawyel