Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-21
THE ILLUSTRATED BEE.

Suggest tne 1erNent eNnOrter.
After giving some laconic instructions
touching the welfare of the nOrtherner TO
Captain Bent, who was lowering uneasily
in the outside hall Cromwell bidding his
enforced guest a cordial farewell. ordered
Wentworth to be brought to him and
retired once more into the dim council
chamber.
With hands clasped behind him and head
bent, he strode slowly up and down the
long room in deep meditation, vanishing
into the gloom at the further end and re-
appearing in the limited circle of light that
surrounded the two candles, for the torches
had long since smoked themselves out. and
there had been no replacement of them,
for none dared enter that room. unsum-
moned while the leader was within IT,
The watcher in the gallery felt. rather than
saw, there was an ominous frown on the
lowered face as the commander waited
for the second prisoner, over whom hung
sentence of death.
This time clanking OF chains announced
the new arrival, who was preceded by
Colonel Porlock, and accompanied by two
soldiers, one on either side of him. The
young fellow, who shuffied up to the table
dragging his irons, cast an anxious look
at the forbidding face of the man who
was to be his final Judge; in whose word
lay life or death for him, and he found
there little to comfort him. Cromwell
seated himself once more and said grufiy:
Take off those fetters."
When the command was complied with
the general dismissed the trio and sat for
some moments in silence, reading the
frank, open face of his opposite like a
poster on a wall.
''YGu mr. to no hot ,t 40 L.
row. ne began in harsh tones that echoed
dsmally from the raftered ceiling. This
statement contained no information for the
youth, but the ravens crOack sent a shiver
through his frame, and somehow the It'd
ings brought a terror that had been alb
sent before. even when sentence of death
was pronounced with such solemnity by
the court. There was a careless infection
IN the words, which showed that the
speaker cared not one pin whether the
human being standing before him lived
or died. Allowing time to produce the
impression he desired, Cromwell continued
in the same strain OF voice:
II have examined the evidence, and find
your condemnation just"
The boy remembered that his father had
met death bravely, asking no mercy and
receiving none, and the thought nerved
him. II this man had merely brought him
here to make death more bitter by taunt-
ing him. it was unworthy action: So.
moistening his lips twice before they would
obey his will, he spoke up:
Il have never questioned the verdict.
general, nor did 1 make appeal" The
shaggy brows came down over CromwelTs
eyes but his face cleared perceptibly.
You own the penalty right?"
~ to
like most things in this world 1t is right
to punish me for deserving my post; II is
wrong to brand me a traitor"
''Ah, you have found your voice at last.
and there is some courage behind II. De-
sertion is an objectionable crime. The
Ioint ! press upon you is this: Your life is
forfeit, yet although your fault is unpar-
donable l do not say it cannot be compen-
stated for Even my enemies admit am an
honest trader. ! will bargain with you for
your life. You shall buy II of me and I
shall pay the price, even though I do not
forgive the crime.
we will first II you please, clear up the
charge or treachery. You were visiting
your own home that night, and as It is on
the further side OF Rudby Hall your an
cestors naturally thought you had a rem
devious there?"
NO. general; it was my intention to have
visited Rudby Hal"
THE residence of that foul, malignant,
Lord Rudby, sO-called?"
YES, hut not to sec his lordship, who IS
my enemy personal as well as political"
The scowl vanished from the face of his
questioner, and something almost resem-
bling laugh came from his firm lips.
you are truthful and it pleases me. Why
did you make foolish mystery OF your ex.
cursi"ns? | take the case to stand thus
Your grandfather and Rudby were neigh.
hors, and possibly friends. You were and
are in love with my lords daughter, but
since you belong to the cause of the people
this oppressor of the people will have
naught of you. You have risted your life
to see the girl, who is doubtless as silly
as the rest of her class, as you will dis
cover If l let you live. Stands the cas-,