turesque. It was natural, therefore,
that the crowd should keep silence when Morgan was seen to advance.

He held neither pistols nor daggers in his hands; they were in his belt.
He passed the body of Valensolle, and placed himself between those of
Jayat and Ribier.

"Gentlemen," said he, "let us negotiate."

The hush that followed was so great that those present seemed scarcely
to breathe. Morgan said: "There lies a man who has blown out his brains
[he pointed to Jayat]; here lies one who stabbed himself [he designated
Valensolle]; a third who has been shot [he indicated Ribier]; you want
to see the fourth guillotined. I understand that."

A dreadful shudder passed through the crowd.

"Well," continued Morgan, "I am willing to give you that satisfaction. I
am ready, but I desire to go to the scaffold in my own way. No one
shall touch me; if any one does come near me I shall blow out his
brains--except that gentleman," continued Morgan, pointing to the
executioner. "This is his affair and mine only."

The crowd apparently thought this request reasonable, for from all sides
came the cry, "Yes, yes, yes."

The officer saw that the quickest way to end the matter was to yield to
Morgan's demand.

"Will you promise me," he asked, "that if your hands and feet are not
bound you will not try to escape?"

"I give my word of honor," replied Morgan.

"Then," said the officer; "stand aside, and let us take up the bodies of
your comrades."

"That is but right," said Morgan, and he turned aside to a wall about
ten paces distant and leaned against it.

The gate opened. Three men dressed in black entered the courtyard and
picked up the bodies one after the other. Ribier was not quite dead; he
opened his eyes and seemed to look for Morgan.

"Here I am," said the latter. "Rest easy, dear friend, I follow."

Ribier closed his eyes without uttering a word.

When the three bodies had been removed, the officer of the gendarmerie
addressed Morgan.

"Are you ready, sir?" he asked.

"Yes," replied Morgan, bowing with exquisite politeness.

"Then come."

"I come."

And he took his place between a platoon of gendarmerie and a detachment
of dragoons.

"Will you mount the cart, sir, or go on foot?" asked the captain.

"On foot, on foot, sir. I am anxious that all shall see it is my
pleasure to be guillotined, and that I am not afraid."

The sinister procession crossed the Place des Lisses and skirted the
walls of the