The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-10-21
CHAPTER XIV.

lX1 friend" said O'Neill, smil-
E6SSS6d Ing at him I'm q melan-
NS2sN choly way.
"Would God that 1 could see you I'm
any place but thls!' answered the
young ~Englishmnn.
"Ah. yes" replied O'Neill, his eyes
Frightening. Then we might fight 1t
out, man to man, sword to sword,
and"-
mot So" mournfully replied Gov
entry. '"rhe battle has been fought,
and you have won again. Whether
you live OF die, Elizabeth Howard is
not for me-"
"My poor friend, may the day upon
which I crossed your paths be occurs
ed! have brought to each of you
nothing but SORROW replied the young
sailor sadly, touched ut the others
surrender.
ut was fate, O'Ncill. Do not re-
proach yourself with that. All day
long l have been striving to think of
SOME means to delay this accurscd exc
cution until l could communicate with
the king. An appeal to His CIomamcy
mtght-but mol see no way, nothing,
u~nless-you know lie hcsitatcd
and hung his head. blushing painfully.
mo more of that If YOU love me,
Coventry" said O'Neill grnvcly. Put
yourself In my place. Could you do it?
All, you shake your head, you see!
Neither could I, not eel to purchase
heaven" There was n long pause be-
tween them.
tntNnfIb cntl fhn NprItc1,tNn nk
last, "would that / could take your
placer
"But you cannot, Major Coventry"
replied the other gratefully. "You
honor me in the thought, but If you
could I should refuse to allow 1t. You
are the better man. All my life I have
been a gay, reckless, pleasure seeking
soldier Of fortune, with never q seri-
GUS purpose until now, and now 1t Is
too late! You are the worthy one, and
you must live to watch over and to care
for her whom we both love. Perhaps
-~surelX-in days to come she will for
get; tiuAe, absence, you know-she will
reward your devotion-she must-you
will be happy His voice broke, and
he turned away his face and looked
out Of the open port. Coventry shook
his head.
"You know her not, sir. She is not
for me-, nor would 1 take her, loving
you. My love is too deep for that. Nor
would she come. She will never forget
you" O'Neill's heart leaped at this as.
surance.
The ships bell on the deck above
them struck four times. 1t was 9
o'clock! There was n little silence
within the screen.
"Thc hour approaches" said O'Neill
softly at last. II would be alone for q
few moments before-ycu understands
EYES," said the other, rising and
pressing his hand. "uave you nothing
to say, no message to send to"-hc
asked magnanimously.
"Nothlng-nothing; t Is best so. You
will come for me ut the time?"
eyes, and I will stand by you to the
end, like a soldier"
you do me great honor" replied the
other thankfully. Coventry looked ut
him a moment, shook his head and
turned away.
In the prayers Of the young Irish
man the face of the girl he loved would
obtrude itself. 1t seemed but a mo-
ment before he heard the tramp Of
armed men coming along the deck.
They stopped before the screen. 1T
was opened, and Coventry, pale as
death, presented himself at the open
Ing. The screen was promptly folded
back, there were marines fully armed
before 1T, the chaplain, too, in the
white robes of his office.
II am ready, gentlemen" said O'Neill
calmly. MAY I not go to my death
%unbound" he asked.
At a nod from Coventry the master
Mt arms unlocked the fctters about his
feet and hands. The prisoner took his
place I'm the midst of the little squad OF
men and asccndcd to the spar deck.
The ships company of marines was
drawn up Mt on the quarter deck.
Most of the seamen Of the crew were
arranged In orderly ranks In the star
board gangway. Forward q grating
had been rugged on the bulwarks under
the port fore yardarm. A new rope led
from the grating up through the block
In the yardarm, came inboard to an
other block under the top and thence
through q block fixed to the deck.
Some sixty or seventy men chosen by
lot from the ships company had hold
of the rope which was led aft along the
port gangway. In front Of the marines
stood Captain Pearson and his officers
In full uniform. The prisoner was halt.
cd before him.
".Arc you aware, sir" said the cap.
tain gravely, "that the hour for the
carrying out of the sentence OF the
court approaches?"
"Ycs. sir" answered O'Ncill cour
tcous'y.
"IIave you anything to say before
that timeY'
II have to thank you all for your
Kindness to me; nothing else, sir"
"Allow me. sir" said the captain, ITO
assure you of the great personal dis.
taste and regret I feel at being COM
PEELED to take this action"
Your feelings do you honor, sir" re-
piled O'Ncill gravely, "but 1t is a mat
ter Of duty. Pray proceed"
Captain Pearson" said Coventry in
great agitation, 'can nothing be done
TO delay this execution a few hours?
There are considerations, SIR, in my
possession which, I feel sure, would In
cline his majesty, could he be commu-
nicated with, to extend clemency to
thisgentleman-circum which,
"Are these circumstances within the
knowledge Of Lord Westbrooke, Major
Coventryr answered the captain, sur