soms seared and foul and sick with uncleanliness. Hearts bound in
the fetters of crime. Hot passions broken loose. Discord rampant. Some
that smote the breast nightly in the anguish of remorse. Some that
knew not where to hide from the eye of conscience the secret sin that
corroded the soul.

Lonely, utterly lonely, in this dense throng were some that shuddered
and laughed by turns.

There were blameless men and women, too, drawn by curiosity and by
another and stronger magnet that they knew of. How would the condemned
meet their end? Would it be with craven timidity or with the
intrepidity of heroes, or again with the insensibility of brutes?
Death was at hand--the inexorable, the all-powerful. How could mortal
man encounter it face to face? This was the great problem then; it is
the great problem now.

Two men were to be executed at eight that morning. Again and again the
people turned to look at the clock. It hung by the side of the dial in
the cupola of the old Town Hall. How slowly moved its tardy figures!
God forgive them, there were those in that crowd who would have helped
forward, if they could, its passionless pulse. And a few minutes more
or fewer in this world or the next, of what account were they in the
great audit of men who were doomed to die?

* * * * *

In a room of the guard-house the condemned sat together. They had been
brought from the castle in the night.

"We shall fight our last battle to-day," said Ralph. "The enemy will
take our camp, but, God willing, we shall have the victory. Never
lower the flag. Cheer up! Keep a brave heart! A few swift minutes
more, and all will be well!"

Sim was crouching at a fire, wringing his lean hands or clutching his
long gray hair.

"Ralph, it shall never be! God will never see it done!"

"Put away the thought," replied Ralph. "God has brought us here."

Sim jumped to his feet and cried, "Then I will never witness it--
never!"

Ralph put his hand gently but firmly on Sim's arm and drew him back to
his seat.

The sound of singing came from without, mingled with laughter and
jeers.

"Hark!" cried Sim, "hearken to them again; nay, hark!"

Sim put his head aside and listened. Then, leaping up, he shouted yet
more wildly than before, "No, no! never, never!"

Ralph took him once more by the arm, and the poor worn creature sank
into his seat with a low wail.

* * * * *

There was comm