The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-07-16
cHAPrnR xY1--continued.

and commonplace. / took the sack ana
slipped mylnand through a well known
slit In the lining. Yes. the letter 1 q
left there was still there--the letter to
Mistress Clarence. ] drew 1t out, The
corners OF the little packet were frayed,
n the parchment was stained n
discolored, no doubt by the damp which
had penetrated to il. But the seal was
whole. 1 placed It, as 1t was, in Master
Hfndstrom's hands.
Give e." I said, ''to the duchess aft
erward. 1t concerns her. You have
heard us talk about 1t. Bid her make
what use she pleases Of IT.
I turned away then ar ) sat down,
Feeling q tribe Hurried and excited. as
pne about to start upon q journey
might feel--not afraid nor exceedingly
depressed, but braced up to make a
brave show and hide what sadness /
did feel by the knowledge that many
eyes were upon me, and that more
would be watching me presently. At
h far end of the room a number of
people had now gathered and were con-
versing together. Among them were
mot only my jailers OF the night, but
two or Ghree officers, a priest who q
come to offer me his services and some
tnquisitive gazers who had obtained adj
mission. Their curiosity, however, did
mot distress me. On the contrary, was
glad to hear the stir and murmur of life
about me to the last.
I will not set down the letter I wrote
no h duchess. though 1t were easy for
me to do so, seeing that her son has II
now. 1t contains some things very
proper to be said by a dying man, of
which I am not ashamed-God Forbid
but which It would not be meet for me
to repeat here. Enough that / told her
In q few words who / was and entreated
her In the name OF whatever services
I had rendered her to let Petronilla and
N GtR A fHnnr r. Irr.Or., LArrr r ~ .ltN1 -
4 added something which would, I
thought. comfort her and her husband
namely. that I was not afraid or in
any suffering Of mind or body.
The writing or this shook my com
posure a little, but as / laid down the
pen and looked up and found that the
time was come when / took courage in
q marvellous The captain of
the guard think that out Of a com
passionate desire not to interrupt me
they had allowed me some minutes OF
grace-came to me, leaving the group
at the other end. and told me gravely
that i was waited for. / rose at once
and gave the letter to Master Lind
etrom. with some message in which
Dymphna and Anne were not forgotten,
and then, with a smile-for I felt under
All those eyes as IL 1 were going into
battle-I said: Gentlemen, / am ready
IL you are. 1t Is a fine day to die. You
III cNFCN1 10 - "a SoyAIy IF Ah Till dfAu WV
have q proverb. the better the day the
better the deed!' So 1t is well to have
a good day to have a good death, sir
captain
"A soldiers death. sir. is a good
death" he answered gravely, speaking
an Spanish and bowling.
Then he pointed to the door.
AsG walked toward ii 1 paused mo-
mentarily by the window and looked
out on the crowd below, 1t filled the
Bunilt street, save where a little raised
platform strewn with rushes protruded
atseif-with heads from wall to wall,
with races all turned n way-toward
me. 1t was a silent crowd, standing
IN hushed awe and expectation. the con-
seriousness of which sent a sudden, chill
20 my heart, bianching my cheek and
making my blood run slow for a mo-
ment. The next / moved on to the
door, n bowling to'the spectators as
they stood aside began to descend the
marrow staircase.
There were guards going down before
me; behind me were Master Lindstrom
n more guards. The Dutchman
yeached forward in the gloom and
ciasped my hand, holding It as we went
down in a firm, strong grip.
Never fear" l said to him cheerily,
looking back 1T is all right"
He answered in words which I will
not write here. not wishing, as I have
said, to make certain things common.
! suppose the doorway at the bottom
was accidentally blocked, for a few
steps short OF It the same /
started, despite myself, on hearing a
Sudden clamor and a roar of many
voices outside.
What is it2" asked the Dutch
man."
rs is the duke Of cleyes arriving,
expect" he whispered. "He comes
Ar nv fhoN other Oafa' y. O.. ..aUr#
A later he moved on and
passed out into the light, the soldiers
before me- stepping on either side to
give me place. This sunshine for an
instant dazzled me, and 1 lowered my
eyes. As l gradually raised them
again / saw before me q short. lane
Formed by two rows OF spectators kept
back by guards, and at the n of this
fwQnpr three rought wooden steps lead
bng to a platformon which were stand
ing q nmber Of people. and above and
beyond all only the bright blue sky,
the roofs and gables of the nearer
houses showing dark against 1t.
i advanced steadily along the, path
left for me and would have assembled
the steps, but at the foot Of them I
came to a standstill and looked around
Hor guidance. The persons on the
lscaffold all had their backs turned to
me and did not make way, While the
~ +AAA oRIOoA HAAlLluCICu LIIGIH
from hearing that. we had come out.
Then 1t struck me, seeing that the peo-
pie at the windows were also gazing
AWAY and taking no heed OF ne, that
the duke was passing the farther end
OF the street, Inc a sharp pang Of an
CRY pain shot through me. I had come
out to die, but that which was all to
tme was so little to these people that
they turned away to see a fellow NOR
ital ride by,
Presently, as we stood there, In a
pit. ais It were. getting no view. / felt
Master Lindstrom's hand, which still
jcIasped mine, to begin to shake, and
turning to him / found that his face
had changed to a deep red, and that
his eyes were protruding with a kind
OF CONCLUSIVE eagerness which Instant
ly infected me. +
what is it?" / stammered. I began
to tremble also. The air rang, 1t
seemed to me, with one word, which o
Thousand tongues took up and reitcr-
,ated. But IL was a German word, and
4 did not understand 1t.
await, waitl" Master Lindstrom err
claimed. pray God 1t be true!"
He seized my other hand and held It
an though he would protect me from