en his orders," he
said, briefly and impatiently, "and they must be obeyed."

Finding it in vain to urge their request farther, the deputation sadly
withdrew, to communicate to M'Intyre, who was awaiting their return in
a state of mind bordering on distraction, the result of their mission.
When it was told him, he said nothing, made no reply, but seemed lost
in thought for some moments. At length--

"I will go to the colonel myself," he said; "and, if there be any
portion of our common nature in him, he will not refuse to hear me. If
he does not----"

Here he clenched his teeth fiercely together, but left the sentence
unfinished. Acting on the resolution which he had thus formed,
M'Intyre sought out Colonel Maberly. When he found him--

"Colonel," he said, touching his bonnet with a military salute, "you
have ordered me to be of the party who are to shoot"--here his voice
faltered, and it was some seconds before he could add--"my comrade,
M'Leod."

"I have, sir--and what of that?" replied the colonel, fiercely; but he
quailed when he marked the deadly scowl that now gleamed in the eye of
M'Intyre.

"It was cruel, sir," replied the latter, with a desperate calmness and
determination of manner; "and I implore you, as you hope for mercy
from the God that made you, to release me from this horrible duty."

"Sir," exclaimed Colonel Maberly, furiously, "do you mean to
mutiny?--do you mean to disobey orders?"

"No, sir, I do not. I merely ask you to relieve me from the dreadful
task of being my comrade's executioner."

"Then I'll be d--d if I do!" said the military tyrant.

"You had better, sir, _for your own sake_," replied M'Intyre.

"What, sir! Do you threaten me?" exclaimed Colonel Maberly, in an
outrageous passion.

"Oh no, sir," replied M'Intyre, with an air of affected respect; but
it was one in which some deep mysterious meaning might have been
discovered. "Will you absolve me from this duty?"

"No, sir; I will not," replied Colonel Maberly, turning on his heel,
and cutting the conference short by walking away.

"Your blood be upon your own head, you cruel, merciless man!" muttered
M'Intyre, as he looked after Colonel Maberly, himself continuing to
stand the while in the spot where the latter had left him.

M'Intyre soon after returned to his quarters, and was seen calmly and
silently preparing his arms for the dreadful duty which they were
about to be called on to perform. In making these preparation