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

sailor wnru--tnat they We're rigging a
whip nm the yapdarm, they were secur-
ing there a girtline block through
which a opt was row leading TO the
top and thence to the deck. She di
vincd at once its hideous purpose. The
hour. The hour! Had it grown so
late? Was II SO near, SO near? Was
lhcre n God in that blue heaven bend
ms above her headY Could such things
be!
A sick fcolinc came over hor heart,
and she would have tainted hut for a
sudden inspiration. Again she seized
the telescope m unusually strong one.
by the a and, raising it to her eyes
with unsteady hand. eagerly swept the
pen off in tho direction of marlborough
head. ri ing faintly down to the south
ward. Il long distance away. For a
hong tim" her nervous, trembling
hands could not get that part Of the
horizon in focus. She finally knelt
down and rested the tube upon the
parapot. breathing a prayer as she did
so, snd looked again.
All, At last she had it, and there
swept into the field of vision three
CLEANS Of white on the sky line. pro-
claiming. even to her Impractical eye.
the sails of ships. What had that in
domitablp man said to her last night
in the haIlF
Delay the execution for at least six
hours. and | win save him" He was
not one 10 promise lightly. She would
try again The telescope fell with a
crash at her feet.
She would make one more appeal to
the admiral. 1t. was late. but there
might yet he tink. On the instant she
turned. leaving the startled maid, and
ran like "A feet footed fawn along the
terrace. down the tone steps through
the water battery. through the bailey.
Into the inner court. down the long
passage md into the great hall Of the
night before. where the admiral was
usually to be found AT this hour. She
dashed impetuously into the room, cry
ing:
The admiral. Quick, Whore is hof'
"Ships has been reported down at
Bridlin'ton bay-furrin ships. yer led
dyship.' replied the old sergeant, who
happened to be there alone. AN his
ludship took horse about half past IL
o'clock TO 90 down thcrc."
Failure. Her last hope gone. She
sank down into the chair. Reaction
had come. she was fainting. helpless.
dying. 1t was over, The sergeant
started toward her. his face fun of
pity. She was sitting in the admiral's
chair by the great table. Her glance
fell listlcSSly upon il. Al the moment
another idea flashed into nor mind.
Desperate, foolish. nevertheless she
would try it-try anything. This at
least was action. She started To her
feet again on The instant. instinct with
life.
Leave mo at once and see that nc
alone she said imp"riously TO the as.
toniShcd sergeant. who bowed respect.
fully and withdrew. Half an hour
later she came lurri"dly ont of the
room, white faced. drawn, nerved up
20 desperate endeayor.
How he got through the night O'Naill
never knew. The court martial in the
morning had taken little time, Its
sentence. a f%orrgone conclusion.
promptly approved by the admiral,
had been death by L0ngin@ nj half
after Is O'Clock that night. Iic had re-
i, fused to give any further parolc in the
faint hope that something might ena-
BILE him to escape. ana consequently
!, had been hoGvily irouol and placed in
!, r~oufr"mcn, +. tlo s;.,. hc,wonn two
of the great puns on Me lower pun
> dcck-the Scrauis WAS a double banked
frigatc on the Stanford side. The
=. ~forcthought Of Coventry. WHO had at
tended him with the solicitude and
Kindness Of II brother ana had nlcoded
: for him unavailiusly before the court.
: had caused a canvas screen to be pro-
: yidtd. which inclosrd two of the runs
} and allowed him TO pass his hours nm.
disturbed by the curious Vnze of the
' English III An armed marine
stood always as sentry before the
e screen.
! Contain Pearson, n gallant oncor
7 h,d hean kindness itsolf i'm all hi. mr.
| rongenents but his orders which vvore
norountorv loft him No di.cro,tor
wh,tover O,NoilI nossod bis fine .it
tinp Inv tho rnnn mort leaning an -
: onn gazing ont over the water NJ the
2 GRAY old cnstle where he had found nj.