The daily Alaskan., 1915-08-10
Saved on the
 Gallows
By LOUISE B. CUMMINGS


 two nephews in the Tower of London, one of whom was the rlghtful heir to the throne, and made himself king of England in the princess stead.
 At that time there lived in England Robert Percy, q young man of the most admirable qualities. 1t was some | time before the secret of the murder of the young princes began to leak out, and when it did there were low mutterings on the part of the people. | Percy, who was familiar with the kings treachery, was more loud spoken | than others, and Richard, aware of the young mans influence with the masses and fearing that he would bring about e revolt, ordered his arrest on O charge of high treason.
 On the day that Percy was conduct cd along a street leading to the Tower, surrounded by men at arms, the curbs we're lined with sympathizers, who breathed prayers that he might escape the danger threatening him and nut tered maledictions on the head of the | tyrant,
 At an upper window stood Lady | Gwendolen Blckford, younger daugh' ter of the Earl of Charenton. She looked down on young Percy, walking erect between his guards, hls bearing indicating that he was ready and will ing to lay down his life in cOntending | against crime Every one believed that he was going to his death. Ills manly beauty, his noble bearing and the crown of martyrdOm rendered him an object of pity to all But to Lady Gwendolen he was more than this. Within those few Vhnutes during which he was passing her heart left her bosom and settled upon him. Per cy, happening to look in her direction, saw the Iovelight in her eyes, and his load was frightened.
 Richard, fearing to order Percy to execution without a trial, lest 1t excite ! the people to revolt, directed attorneys to prepare a case against him. Per sons were bribed to swear that he had been heard advocating the kings as sassinatlon and placing the Duke of Richmond on the throne. Lady Gwen | dolen, hearing of this, begged her fa- | ther to induce lawyers to defend the | accused. The earl not only knew that the case was hopeless, but did not dare to oppose the kingi consequently he refused to have anything to do with 1t
 One day Lady GwendOlen went to | that quarter of London given over to lawyers and found Roger Moore, an old attorney who had served her ia | ther, and consulted him as to what might be done to save young Percy. | After listening to what the girl had to say he replied that Percy's case was hopeless because the king had dccreed that he should die. He will surely be convicted" said the old man. After | his conviction there is but one way by which he may legally escape the gal lows. But should he go Eree under this statute the king would doubtless ind some other way to get rid of him." Lady Gwendolen asked the attorney to what law be referred, and he re piled that 1t was q decree of King Ed ward ", naming a condition on which a man about to be hanged should go free. As soon as the girl heard the condition her face lighted with hope To fulfill 1t was possible, but would il avail in the end?
 Percy was convicted of high treason against the king and sentenced to be hanged and quartered on a certain | date. At the time an army was gath ering under the Duke of Richmond to | depose the king, and Richard was gath | ering hls forces to meet 1t There had been 0 former attempt to put the duke on the throne in the kings place, but i Richard was as bold and energetic as | he was wicked and had defeated all | attempts against his authority.
 | There was no one he feared to leave 1 in his rear so much as Robert Percy, and when he had made all prepara- tions to march against his opponents he delayed a day to make sure that this dangerous enemy was dead. i The day before the one set for the execution Lady Gwendolen BickfOrd was closeted with Roger Moore, and on the following morning, when the crowd went to Tyburn to witness the hanging, these two were of the nun, Der, and when the prisoner arrived they occupied seats near the scaffold When all was ready and the con- demned man was about to be swung of Roger Moore arose and said:
 MT. Sherifr, as counsel for the pris' oner I claim his body under an edict Of King Edward IY., who deCreed that whenever a man Is convicted of crime and Is about to be hanged, If there be a woman willing to marry him, he shall go free. This woman beside me is willing and ready to marry the pris oner."
 This speech naturally disconnected | the sheriff. who had never heard oi