Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1903-12-26

CuOly way.
"Would God that could see you il
any place but thisr answered tn
young Englishman.
"Ah. yes" replied O'Neill, his eye;
Frightening 'Then we might fight i
out. man to man, sword to sword
and
mot so" mournfully replied Gov
entry 1.-The battle has been fought
and you have won again. Whether
you live or die, Elizabeth Howard i.
not for me-"
'My poor friend, may the day upol
which crossed your paths be occurs
ed! l have brought to each Of yor
nothing but SORROW" replied the young
sailor sadly, touched at the others
surrender.
''It was fase, O'Neill. Do not re
proach yourself with that. All day
long have been striving to think OF
some means to delay this accused exc
cution until l could communicate with
the king. An appeal to his clemency
might-but mol see no way, nothing
unless-you know He hesitated
and hung his head, blushing painfully
NO more of that if you love me,
Coventry" said O'Neill gravely. 'Put
yourself in my place. Could you do it?
All, you. shake your head, you see!
Neither. could l, not even to purchase
heaven There was a long pause be-
tween them.
"O'Neill." said the Englishman at
last. would that 1 could take your
placer"
"But you cannot, Major Coventry"
replied the other gratefully. "You
honor me in the thought, but if you
eould 1 should refuse to allow it. You
are the better man. XII my life 1 have
been gay. reckless, pleasure seeking
soldier of fortune, with never a seri-
Gus purpose until now, and now it is
too late! You are the worthy one, and
you must live to watch over and to care
Tor her whom we both love- Perhaps
-Surely-in days to come she will for
get; time, absence, you know-she will
seward 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
y ~"You know her not sir. She is not
Tor me, nor would take her, loving
you. My love is too deep for that. Nor
would she come. She will never forget
you" ONeill's heart leaped at this as
4Burance.
The ships bell on the deck above
them struck four times. 1t was
o'clock! There was a little silence
within the screen.
1.-The hour approaches" said O'Neill
-BOftly at last II would be alone for
few moments before-you understands
EYES," said the other, rising and
pressing his hand. "Have you nothing
to say, no message to send to"-he
asked maGnanimously.
nothing; It is best so. You
will come for me at the time?"
Eyes, and l will stand by you to the
end, like SOLDIER
"You do me great honor" replied the
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
Cbtrude 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 it, the chaplain. too, in the
white robes Of his Office.
81 am ready, gentlemen" said O'Neill
calmly. May l not go to my death
unbound?'' he asked.
At nod from Coventry the master
Mt arms unlocked the letters about his
feet and hands The prisoner took his
place in the midst Of the little squad Of
men and assembled to the spar deck.
The ships company of marines was
drawn up aft on the quarter deck.
Most Of the seamen Of the crew were
arranged in orderly ranks in the star
board gangway. Forward a grating
had been rugged on the bulwarks under ,
the port fore yardarm. A new rope led
from the grating up through the block
I'm the yardarm, came inboard to an
Other block under the top and thence
through 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
I'd before him.
"Are you aware, SIR" said the cap
tain gravely, shat the hour for the
carrying out of the sentence of the
court approaches?
eyes. sir" answered O'Neill cour-
teously.
slave you anything to say before
that time?'
II have to thank you all for your
kindness to me; nothing else. sir"
"'AIlow me, SIR said the captain, ito
oeSI1ro uo11 Of tho crpoat TorSopoI die |