Year: 1867

Six fingered, be yet alive, and found to
frequent the sanctuary, that he must
be seized, and that even the sanctuary
itself might lie violated, should he take
refuge there.


1t was Friday; Alec had taken a
branch of myrtle, and was seated over
the grave Of his wife, speaking to her
after the Moorish fashion, as if yet
alive. Wrapped in his thoughts, he
did not perceive, until they were nigh
upon him, some score of men, who
now emerged from the wood, armed
with guns. Alec was unarmed, for
thus he always approached the holy
ground be had left his mare some way
off in the wood, and his feet were not
yet so much recovered as TO be trust
ed to in flight moreover he was tired
of life, and cared not what became of
himself; so walking leisurely towards
the holy sepulchre, he entered therein.


The soldiers now surrounded the
sanctuary. The orders were to bring
the SiX-tingered alive; so they agreed
not to commit any violence, unless
Alec attempted to escape. Much dis,
cussion, however, ensued as to who
should venture within to arrest the
formidable culprit. At length three of
the stoutest hearted agreed to under
take the bold adventure.


Alec was sitting coied up in q cor
ner, his head bent to his knees, and
his hands buried in the folds of his gee
lab.


With fear and trembling the three
armed men advanced a STEP when
Alec, raising his head and fixing his
cagle eye on the foremost man, seized
u huge stone, one of many which lay
scattered in the tomb, and hurled it
at his breast. The man fell, and the
two others made off, but one of them,
as. he reached the threshold, was level
led by a second missile from the all
powerful hand of Alec


'And now,' exclaimed the Six,fng-
cred, as he approached the door, no
man shall lay hands on me within the
sanctuary near to which my wife is
laid; but | am sick of life, as all car
ed for lies in yonder grave: so fear
not said he to the Kaid Of the troop,
every man of which, with levollcd gun,
was expecting further mischief take
me prisoner, and convey me whittier
soever You please


He was now bound without offering
resistance, and led out OF the burial.
ground.


Alec was taken prisoner to Laraiche,
where the greater part of the popula
ton came forth to see the dreaded
highwayman, and, as he passed, the
curses of the many were showered on
his doomed head, but they were inter,
mingled with the blessings of not few
who recognised in him former bene.
factor. FetterS were now riveted on
his hands and feet, and Il massive iron
collar, with a chain that would have
held Il lion, was fastened round his
neck. Thus secured, be was taken be-
fore the governor Of the place, who
ordered him to be lodged in a dun.
geon.


The Sultan, having been apprised Of
the robbers arrest, issued a royal let
ter, declaring him an outlaw, and con
demning him to lose the right hand
and the right foot that then he should
be released, and allowed to limp about
as moral lesson for others Of like
character.


On the day appointed for the execu
ton of this dreadful sentence, Alec was
led forth to the market-place, where
crowds of people had assembled from
all the country around to witness The
fate of HIM who had been the cause o.
l.;


The eXecutioner was ready with his
knife, and near at hand was placed a
bowl of hot pitch, wherein the stumps
were to be thrust to stop the bleeding.
His manacles, as / have told you, had
been riveted on, and blacksmith was
about to be summoned to break them
off, when Alec exclaimed, is it for
these toys you require blacksmith 2
and, Jerking back his hands, he snap
ped them asunder.


His right hand was now seized by
the executioner, who, with three other
men, endeavOred to force it from the
socket previous to cutting it off at its
Joint. Why do you tremble?' said
Alec to the executioner; give me the
knife, and l will do what you dare not.
Fear not that | shall use the knife
against you: my doom is sealed; and
| had 50 wished, | would have escaped
long ago The knife was given to
him, and, the four men pulling at his
hand, he with his left hand severed il
with one cut, and plunged the bleed
ing stump into the boiling pitch with
out a groan. His foot was then am
putated by the executioner, and theI
the poor wretch was abandoned to hi
fate.


Two days after, Alec Boofrahee, tht
Champion, the Six fingered, was founC
dead, lying on the grave of Rahmana
He is said to have expired raving mad
and was buried by some charitable
persons near to the body of his wife.