The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-13

in an agony of despair. straining her ears
for the crash Of the rifles that would tell
her she had come too late. a glance at
the letter had convinced the general of
her brothers innocence, and though he
thought 1t would be cruel not to prepare
her for the worst by telling her that 4
party had been sent to arrest Mackenzie,
he had hastily scrubbed an order for his
release and undertaken to despatch 1t
without an instnts delay. But Elsie
scarcely heard him. Half frantic with
grief and anguish she caught up the or
der and rushing Off leaped into the sad
die and rode furiously away.
In the mean time a tragic silence had
fallen upon the group in the roadway. So
profound was the, stiffness that the tick
ing OF the captains watch was
glanced futively at each other, and
there was a percepdble movement
among them that for moment
silenced the ticking of the watch. The
captain glanced towards them with an i'm
patient frown, and they grew still again.
But moment later they could hear in
the distance the swift trampling of
horses hoofs, faint and far away at first
but growing louder with such rapidity
that it was clear the approaching rider
was urging the flying horse to its utmost
speed. The captain groaned inwardly as
he looked anXiously at his watch. He
knew instinctively who it was that was
coming; and she would come, poor child,
just in time to witness her brothers exc
cution.
A few yards away stood the lieutenant.
listening. sick at heart with pity. to the
sound of the approaching hoofs. He shud-
dered at the thought of the girls anguish
and despair when she arrived to find her
brother lying dead. and would cheerfully
have faced any risk had 1t lain In his
power to be of service to her. But he was
helpless, could do nothing to prevent or
even postpone the execution. He glanced
involuntarily at the men standing stiftly
in front of the prisoner and could see
thai they were little less moved than
he. But, whatever their feelings might
be. he knew that the captains orders
would be implicitly obeyed.
-Four minutes gone" muttered the cap
tain, and now he held the watch nearer
and kept his eyes on the dial.
At that moment the luieutenant started
as though an idea had suddenly occurred
to him, and moving towards Corporal Ma
lone, who was standing at the end OF the
line. whispered something into his ear.
The cOrporal's gloomy face instantly
frightened. He slightly turned his head
to the man next him, his lips moving,
though the words he uttered were inau-
dible. Some silent message appeared to
pass swiftly along the line. Then the
lieutenant stepped hurriedly forward as
though to adjust the wick OF one of the
candles. As he returned to his place he
passed close TO Mackenzie. and paused for
an instant as he did So. To the soldiers
who were watching him curiously, Mac
kenZie seemed to give an almost imper-
ceptible nod moment later the line of
black-mOuthed barrels was pointed at the
dark figure against the fence. The clat-
tering hoofs were coming round a bend
of the road not fifty yards away. The
captain thrust the watch back in his
pocket.
Fire.
Crash went the rifles. and when the
smoke cleared away Mackenzie was lying
on the ground. A convulsive shudder
seemed to shake the PROSTATE body. and
then it lay motionless.
Almost at the same moment. floam-heck-
ed and rocking, the black horse dashed up
and Elsie. with white, Wild horror
stricken face threw herself out of the sad
die and ran towards the captain, waving
a paper in her hand.
stop stop" she cried, Il have brought
an order from the general to"
And then she suddenly stood notion
less, the words frozen on her lips at the
sight Of the dark figure lying so still upon
the ground.
oh she cried. suddenly. you have
killed him. Oh, God forgive you. you have
killed him. The general gave me an or
der for his release. He was innocent
and-and YOU have killed him.
The paper fiuttered out of her hand and
fell at the captains feet, and she sank
on the ground beside her brother, cover
ing her face with her hands and sobbing
The captain picked up the paper and
burrfed!y glanced at It, He tried vainly
to conceal his agitation as he turned to
the lieutenant.
muttered THE girls right The poor
fellow was innocent, after all.
He looked at the sobbing girl and sroan-
ed He would have been considerably
puzzled If he had looked at the heuten-
ant instead. The young officer seemed TO