Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-08-13

ISb beth came again to the ter
FS1~ceS1 race above the water battery
49, overlooking the harbor. She
had passed a night of slcepless agony.
and her pallid face, with its haGgard
expression, the great black circles uu-
der the eyes--for her grief had been
too deep for tears-gave outward evil
dence of her breaking heart. She had
besoueht the admiral again and again
TO stay the execution of her lover. urg-
ing every plea that the most desperate
mind could suggest. She had implored
his mercy and pity upon every ground.
and upon his HleXorable refusal had
begged that he might be rcprieved for
Il few hours and that she might at
least be allowed TO see him before he
died. Touched by her sorrow. at first
the I'D man had been inclined to grant
This petition and had scrubbed n line
on his official paper, giving the desired
permission. but before he signed and
scaled it he changed his mind and
deemed il best TO refuse-more merci-
ful to her, in fact.
1t really wrung his heart 10 he I'M
able to extend cleInency to this young
man. He repented him of the tenpta-
tion he had thrown in his way. The
nobility with which O'Ncill had re-
fused and rejected the chance of life
which had been offered him, the SIM
plicity with which he had given up
everything for honor. impressed him
more than ever He was sick mt heart
at the grief of his ward, whom he
truly loved. and the broken. dcspairing
face of his son since he had learned
that Elizabeth loved O'Noill haunted
him. He wished that the IriShNan
had never comc across his path. though
he could not but admire his honor. his
grace and his courage. lie n bit
tcrly sorry that he had ever attempted
10 influence the man. He had an un-
comfortable and growing suspicion
that his plans had brought nothing
but trouble TO every one Breaking
away from the presence of Eliza beth,
whose angUished face was Il living re-
pNoach to him, ne finally secluded him
Self IN his Office and refused to see her
again.
- the day. like yesterday, wore
away, but, oh, how differently, Tho
girl never knew how she passed The
hours. She wandered rrStlcssly up
and down the terrace. her eyes strain
ed upon the sea. The garrison, who
idolized her to n man, had been appris-
ed by the sergeant of what had hap
pcned. and, to a man, they were upon
her side. The men would never forget
the picture she made as they watched
her pacing Ia and fro, ceaScleSsly gaz-
ing at the white ship in the harbor-
her lovers prison. his scaffold. even.
Tho sense OF impotcnt hclplcSsuess
with which she was compelled to face
The situation, the KNOWLEDGE that
ON"ill was doomed absolutely. that
there was nothing that she could do or
say which would alter the decision.
was terrible. she had been accustomed
to have her will and. like most women,
loved II. Now she had 10 stand by IN
the bright sunlight with all the strength
of life and youth and love in her veins
and IN his and soc her lover chokpd &c
death-hanged like a dog at the black
yardarm of that great ship Wonder.
Anu loT NlHl' w billdllIlNp, she D1lt
aside every thought of him but that he
had dared death itself only to see her
to he in her presence again! oh, how
splendid, how handsome, how noble, he
had been in the great hall when he haC
refused her rather than to take her a.
the reward of treachery! And now he
was to become a lifcless lump of clay
olive to her only as "A memory, a recol
lection-hOw cruel. She could not, sh,
would not, stand it. She rackcd he
brain over and oyer. Was there moth
ingf No
1t was late in the afternoon, He
maid had rot beer able to drag he
from tho %torrlc" whence she had n view
or the ship on which her lover was Il
lie executed murdered, she said. A.
she gazed upon ii she noticed two mel
climbing nimbly mp the black shr0ud,
about the foremost. When they reached
the foreyaId they ran out on the yard