the sake of my
dear mother and of Clara, I did violence only to my own natural
manhood, and bore it all with the servility of a slave."

"With the submission of a saint, dear Traverse; and in doing so you
followed the divine precept and example of Our Saviour, who, when
accused, railed upon and buffeted, 'opened not his mouth.' And in His
forbearance, dear Traverse, there was as much of God-like dignity as
there was of saintly patience. Great self-respect is as often
manifested in forbearance as in resentment," said Herbert, soothingly.

"But you see it availed me nothing. Here I am, under a charge to which
I plead guilty, and the penalty of which is--death!" replied Traverse,
in despair.

"Tell me how it was, Traverse. Your persecutions and your patience I
knew before, but what are the circumstances that led to your present
position? That your misfortune is the result of a concerted plan on the
part of Le Noir and his tool, I partly see, but I wish you to put me in
possession of all the facts, that I may see in what manner I may be
able to assist you."

"Ah, Herbert, I thank you, most faithful of friends, but I doubt
whether you can assist me in any other manner than in being kind to my
poor mother and my dear Clara when I am gone--for ah, old playmate, the
act can be too surely proved upon me, and the penalty is certain--and
it is death!" said the poor boy, deeply sighing.

Herbert groaned, and said:

"But tell me, at least, the history of the four days preceding your
arrest."

"I will. Let me see--this is Friday. Well, until this morning's fatal
sleep, I had not slept since Sunday night. Monday was passed in the
usual routine of military duty. Monday evening I was sent on a
reconnoitering expedition to the old castellated Spanish fort of the
Casa de Mata, that occupied the whole night. On Tuesday morning I was
selected to attend the messenger who went with the flag of truce into
the city to carry our General's letter of expostulation to Santa Anna,
which employed the whole day. On Tuesday night, without having had an
hour's rest in the interval, I was put on guard. Wednesday morning I
was sent with a party to escort an emigrant caravan across the marsh to
the village of Churubusco. Wednesday afternoon you saw me on guard and
I told you that I had not slept one hour for three days and nights."

"Yes, you looked ill enough to be ordered on the sick list."

"Yet, listen. Thoroughly exhausted as I was, on Wed